{"id":42088,"date":"2015-09-17T11:25:58","date_gmt":"2015-09-17T16:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-legal\/contracts\/uncategorized\/association-contract-empresa-colombiana-de-petroleos3.html"},"modified":"2015-09-17T11:25:58","modified_gmt":"2015-09-17T16:25:58","slug":"association-contract-empresa-colombiana-de-petroleos3","status":"publish","type":"corporate_contracts","link":"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/contracts\/operations\/association-contract-empresa-colombiana-de-petroleos3.html","title":{"rendered":"Association Contract &#8211; Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos (ECOPETROL) and Harken de Colombia Ltd."},"content":{"rendered":"<pre>                              ASSOCIATION CONTRACT\n\nASSOCIATE                        :  HARKEN DE COLOMBIA, LTD.----------\nSECTOR                           :  CAMBULOS-------------------------\nEFFECTIVE DATE                   :  17 November 1995 ---------------\n\n\nThe contracting parties, namely: on the one hand, Empresa Colombiana de\nPetroleos, hereinafter called ECOPETROL, a State owned industrial and\ncommercial company authorized by Law 165 of 1948, currently governed by its\narticles, the reform of which was approved by Decree 1209 of June 15, 1994,\nwith principal domicile in Santa Fe de Bogota, represented by LUIS BERNARDO\nFLOREZ ENCISO, of legal age, identified by citizenship card No. 19.092.255,\nissued in Santa Fe de Bogota, domiciled in Santa Fe de Bogota, who states: 1.\nThat in his capacity as President of ECOPETROL he acts on behalf of this\nCompany, and 2. That he has been authorized to enter into this Contract by the\nBoard of Directors of ECOPETROL, as recorded in Minutes No. 2112 of September\n12, 1995, and, for the other Party, HARKEN DE COLOMBIA, LTD., a company\norganized under the laws of the British Dominion of the Cayman Islands,\nhereinafter called THE ASSOCIATE, with a branch established in Colombia, and\nwith principal domicile in Santa Fe de Bogota, by virtue of Public Document No.\n406 of February 19, 1993, authorized in the Eleventh Notarial Circuit of Santa\nFe de Bogota, represented by MIKEL D. FAULKNER, of legal age, a North American\ncitizen, identified by passport no. HG930148, who states: 1. That he is the\nPresident of the Board of Directors of the company HARKEN DE COLOMBIA, LTD.,\nand 2. That he acts in exercise of the power conferred on him by Mr. GONZALO\nVELASCO in his capacity as Legal Representative of the Colombian branch, as\nevidenced in the attached documents. Upon the foregoing conditions, ECOPETROL\nand THE ASSOCIATE hereby declare that they have entered into the Contract\ncontained in the following clauses:\n\nCHAPTER I - GENERAL PROVISIONS\n\nCLAUSE 1 - PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT\n\n1.1.          The purpose of this Contract is the exploration of the Contracted\nArea and the Exploitation of the Petroleum belonging to the Nation which may be\nfound in said area, described in Clause 3.\n\n1.2.          Pursuant to article 1 of Decree No. 2310 of 1974 the exploration\nand exploitation of hydrocarbons belonging to the Nation is incumbent upon\nECOPETROL, which may carry out said activities directly or through contracts\nwith private parties. Based on the foregoing provision ECOPETROL has agreed\nwith THE ASSOCIATE to explore the Contracted Area and to exploit the Petroleum\nwhich may be found therein upon the terms and conditions set forth in this\ndocument, Exhibit \"A\" and Exhibit \"B\" (Operation Agreement) which form an\nintegral part hereof.\n\n1.3.          Without prejudice to the provisions of this contract, it is\nunderstood that THE ASSOCIATE will have over the Petroleum produced in the\nContracted Area and in the part which corresponds to it, the same rights and\nobligations which those who exploit Petroleum belonging to the Nation inside\nthe Country have before Colombian law.\n\n1.4.          ECOPETROL and THE ASSOCIATE agree that they will carry out\nexploration and exploitation work in the lands of the Contracted Area, that\nthey will distribute between themselves the costs and risks thereof in the\nproportion and upon the terms contemplated in this Contract and that the\nproperties acquired and the Petroleum produced and stored will belong to each\nParty in the stipulated proportions.\n\nCLAUSE 2 - APPLICATION OF THE CONTRACT\n\nThis contract applies to the Contracted Area, delimited in Clause 3, or to the\npart thereof, subject to its terms when Clause 8 has been applied.\n\nCLAUSE 3 - CONTRACTED AREA\n   2\nThe Contracted Area is called \"CAMBULOS\", and consists of an area of one\nhundred and twenty thousand six hundred and sixty two (120.662) hectares and\nseven thousand and twelve (7,012) square meters and is located within the\nmunicipal jurisdictions of Chaguani, San Juan de Rio Seco, Viani, Beltran,\nPuli, Quipile, Anapoima, Apulo, Tocaima, Jerusalen, Guataqui and Narino, in the\ndepartment of Cundinamarca, Piedras y Venadillo in the department of Tolima.\n\nThis area is described below and, as shown in the map attached hereto as\nExhibit \"A\", which forms part of this contract, as well as the corresponding\ncalculation charts: the reference point used is the AUXILIARY POINT \"AIR-215\"\nof the Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi, the plane Gauss coordinates of\nwhich, with origin in Bogota, are; N-1'00.069.96 meters, E-912,937,88 meters\nand the geographic coordinates of which are: Latitude 04 Degrees 39' 12\". 602\nNorth of the Equator and Longitude 74 Degrees 51' 55\".883 West of Greenwich.\nFrom this reference point it continues in a direction S 86 Degrees 13' 53\".293\nE and for a distance of 1,062.12 meters to point \"A\", the Gauss coordinates of\nwhich are: N-1'006,000.00 meters, E-914,000.00 meters. From this point \"A\" the\nboundary line continues N47 Degrees 29' 22\".391E for a distance of 16.278.82\nmeters until arriving at point \"B\", the coordinates of which are N-1'017.000.00\nmeters, E-926,000,00 meters. From this reference point B, it continues in a\ndirection N 39 Degrees 48' 20\".056 E for a distance of 7,810.25 meters to point\n\"C\", the coordinates of which are: N-1'023.000.00 meters, E-931,000.00 meters.\nFrom this point \"C\" it continues in a northerly direction for a distance of\n15,000.00 meters until point \"D\", the coordinates of which are: N-1'038,000.00\nmeters, E-931,000.00 meters. The lines \"A-B\", \"B-C\", \"C-D\" share a common\nboundary in their entirety with the lines \"E-D\", \"D-C\" and \"C-B\" of the\nAssociation Contract \"Lagunillas\" entered into with the American International\nPetroleum Corporation. From point \"D\" it follows in an easterly direction for\n1,400.00 meters to point \"E\", the coordinates of which are: N-1'038,000.00\nmeters, E-932,400.00 meters. From this point \"E\" it follows in an easterly\ndirection for 11.300.00 meters to arrive at point \"F\", the coordinates of which\nare: N-1'038.000.00 meters, E-943,700.00 meters. The line \"E-F\" shares a common\nboundary in its entirety with the line \"F-E\" of the Association Contract \"Rio\nSeco\" entered into with G.H.K. Company Colombia. From this point \"F\" it follows\nin an easterly direction for 5.800.00 meters to point \"G\", whose coordinates\nare: N-1'038.000.00 meters, E949.500.00 meters. The line \"F-G\" shares a common\nboundary in its entirety with the line \"I-H\" of the Association Contract\n\"Dindal\", entered into with G.H.K. Company Colombia. From point \"G\" it\ncontinues in a southerly direction for 31.000.00 meters to arrive at point \"H\"\nwhose coordinates are : N-1'007.000.00 meters, E-949.500.00 meters. From point\n\"H\" it continues in direction S 41 Degrees 36' 23\".994 W for 35.945.22 meters\nto arrive at point \"I\", the coordinates of which are: N-980.123.01 meters,\nE-925.631.90 meters. The line \"H-I\" shares a common boundary for its entirety\nwith the line \"E-D\" of the Association Contract \"Apulo\" entered into with\nPetroleos del Norte S.A.. From Point \"I\" it follows in direction S 28 Degrees\n32' 23\".720 W for a distance of 140.02 meters to arrive at point \"J\" the\ncoordinates of which are: N-980.000.00 meters, E-925.565.00 meters. The line\n\"I-J\" shares a common boundary for its entirety with the line \"D-C\" of the\nAssociation Contract \"Apulo\" entered into with Petroleos del Norte S.A.. From\npoint \"J\" it continues in a westerly direction for 9.565 meters to arrive at\npoint \"K\", the coordinates of which are: N-980.000.00 meters, E-916.000.00\nmeters. From point \"K\" it continues in a northerly direction for 15.177.03\nmeters to point \"L\", the coordinates of which are: N-955.177.03 meters,\nE-916.000.00 meters. From this point \"L\" it continues in direction N 78 Degrees\n54' 03\".893 E for a distance of 4.534.83 meters, to arrive at point \"M\", the\ncoordinates of which are: N-996.050.00  E-920.450.00 meters. From this point\n\"M\" it continues in a direction N 32 Degrees 57' 10\".690W for a distance of\n11.857.70 meters to arrive at point \"A\", the starting and ending point of the\nboundary. The lines \"L-M\" and \"M-A\" share a common boundary with lines \"C-B\"\nand \"B-A\" of the Association Contract \"Puli-C\" entered into with the American\nInternational Petroleum Company. The above area excludes block \"B\" of the\nAssociation Contract \"Puli\" entered into with the American International\nPetroleum Company with an area of 5.445 hectares and 407 square meters and with\nthe following boundaries: Starting Point \"A\" with coordinates N 1.007.450.00\nmeters, E-926.200.00 meters. From this point following in a direction of N 20\nDegrees 13' 29\".290 E for a distance of 2.000.00 meters to point \"B\" with\ncoordinates: N-1.009.326.69 meters, E-926.891.41 meters.  From this point B,\nfollowing in a direction S 64 Degrees 18' 26\".123 E for a distance of 4.559.37\nmeters to arrive at point \"C\" with coordinates: N-1'007.350.00 meters,\nE-931.000.00 meters. From this point \"C\" following in a southerly direction for\n3.150.00 meters to arrive at point \"D\" with coordinates: N-1'004.200.00 meters,\nE-931.000.00 meters. From this point it continues in a direction of S32 Degrees\n59' 51\".616W for a distance of 8.430.00 meters to point \"E\" with coordinates:\nN-997.129.82 meters, E-926-408-98 meters. From this point \"E\" continuing in\ndirection N 73 Degrees 29' 43\".639 W for a distance of 3.664.84 meters to\narrive at point \"F\"  with coordinates: N-998.170.97 meters, E-922.895.14\nmeters. From point \"F\" continuing in direction N 19 Degrees 36' 14\".717 E for a\ndistance of 9.850.00 meters to arrive at point A, the starting and ending point\nof the boundary.\n   3\nParagraph 1.- In the event that any person should claim to be the title-holder\nof the subsoil within the Contracted Area, ECOPETROL shall assume the attention\nof the case and the pertinent obligations.\n\nParagraph 2.- Within the Contracted Area are the abandoned wells: Quina-1,\nGautaqui-1 and 2, Bituima-1 and Pitaya-1, which show evidence of hydrocarbons.\nTo commence work on such wells, THE ASSOCIATE must obtain the prior written\npermission of ECOPETROL and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.\n\nCLAUSE 4 - DEFINITIONS\n\nFor the purposes of this contract, the expressions listed below shall have the\nfollowing meaning:\n\n4.1           Contracted Area: Is the land defined in Clause 3 above, subject\nto Clause 8.\n\n4.2           Commercial Field: Is that portion of the Contracted Area which\ncan produce Petroleum in a quantity and of a quality which are economically\nexploitable.\n\n4.3           Executive Committee: Is the body formed within thirty (30) days\nfollowing the acceptance of a Commercial Field, to supervise, control and\napprove all operations and actions performed during the term of the contract.\n\n4.4.          Direct Exploration Costs: Are those expenses incurred by THE\nASSOCIATE for the drilling of Wildcat Wells which have turned out to be\nproductive, as well as for locations, completion, equipment and tests of said\nwells, flow lines and separators. The Direct Exploration Costs do not include\nadministrative or technical support from the head office, or the Company's\ncentral offices.\n\n4.5           Joint Account: The records that will be kept through books of\naccount, in accordance with Colombian law, in order to credit or charge the\nParties for their participation in the Joint Venture.\n\n4.6           Budget Performance: Are the resources actually spent and\/or\ncommitted in each one of the programs and projects approved for any given\ncalendar year.\n\n4.7            Effective Date: Shall be the calendar day on which the term of\nsixty (60) calendar days counted as from the signing date of this contract\nexpires. All terms stipulated herein shall be counted as from that date,\nsubject to the validity of the contract itself.\n\n4.8           Cash Flow: Is constituted by the physical movement of cash\n(receipts and disbursements) which must be made by the Joint Account in order\nto attend to the various obligations contracted by the Association in the\ncourse of its normal operations.\n\n4.9           Natural Gas: Mixture of hydrocarbons in a gaseous state, composed\nby the more volatile members of the parafin series of hydrocarbons.\n\n4.10          Direct Expenses: Are all those outlays charged to the Joint\nAccount for the expenses of personnel directly employed by the Association,\npurchase of materials and supplies, contracting of services with third parties\nand other general expenses demanded by the Joint Venture in the normal course\nof its activities.\n\n4.11          Indirect Expenses: Are those outlays charged to the Joint Account\nfor technical and\/or administrative support eventually furnished, with its own\norganization, by the Operator to the Joint Venture.\n\n4.12          Commercial Interest: For operations in pesos, shall be the\ncurrent interest rate certified by the Superintendency of Banks for the\ncorresponding period; for operations in dollars of the United States of\nAmerica, shall be the prime rate fixed by CITIBANK in New York.\n   4\n4.13          Interest in the Operation: Is the participation in the\nobligations and rights which each one of the Parties acquires in the\nexploration and exploitation of the Contracted Area.\n\n4.14          Development Investments: Refer to the amount of money invested in\ngoods and equipment capitalized as assets for the Joint Venture in a Commercial\nField once its existence is accepted by the Parties.\n\n4.15          Production Objectives: Are the formations, layers or sands with a\npossible accumulation of hydrocarbons.\n\n4.16          Joint Venture: The activities and work executed or in the process\nof execution on behalf of the Parties and for their account.\n\n4.17          Operator: The person appointed by the parties to carry out\ndirectly, for their account, the necessary operations to explore and exploit\nthe Petroleum found in the Contracted Area.\n\n4.18          Parties:  On the Effective Date, ECOPETROL and THE ASSOCIATE.\nSubsequently, and at any time, ECOPETROL for one party and THE ASSOCIATE and\/or\nits assignees, for the other.\n\n4.19          Exploration Period: Is the term which THE ASSOCIATE has to\nfulfill the obligations stipulated in Clause 5 of this contract and which shall\nnot exceed six (6) years counted as from the Effective Date, with the exception\nof the cases contemplated in Clauses 9 (subsections 9.3 and 9.8) and 34.\n\n4.20          Exploitation Period: The time which elapses from the end of the\nExploration Period to the end of this contract.\n\n4.21          Petroleum: The natural mixture of hydrocarbons in a liquid or\ngaseous state under normal conditions, as well as those substances which\naccompany or derive from them, with the exception of helium and rare gases.\n\n4.22          Wildcat Well: Is any well designated as such by THE ASSOCIATE to\nbe drilled or deepened for its account in the Contracted Area in search of\nPetroleum. For the fulfillment of the obligations stipulated in Clause 5 of\nthis contract, the pertinent Wildcat Well will be previously rated between\nECOPETROL and THE ASSOCIATE.\n\n4.23          Exploitation (or Development) Well: Is any well previously\nprogrammed by the Executive Committee for the production of Petroleum within\nthe Commercial Area.\n\n4.24          Budget: Is the basic planning instrument whereby resources are\nassigned for specific projects to be applied within a calendar year or a\nportion thereof in order to achieve the goals and objectives proposed by THE\nASSOCIATE or the Operator.\n\n4.25          Extensive Production Tests: Are the operation carried out at one\nor several productive Wildcat wells, in order to evaluate the production\nconditions and behavior of the field.\n\n4.26          Reimbursement: Is the payment of 50% of the Direct Exploration\nCosts incurred by THE ASSOCIATE.\n\n4.27          Exploration Work:  Are those operations executed by THE ASSOCIATE\nin relation to the search and discovery of Petroleum within the area of the\ncontract.\n\nCHAPTER II - EXPLORATION\n\nCLAUSE 5 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS\n\n5.1.1.        During the first year, counted as from the Effective Date of this\ncontract, THE ASSOCIATE undertakes to process approximately four hundred (400)\nkilometers of seismic and carry out studies of the evaluation and preparation\nof maps based on the existing information, photography and\/or interpretation\nsimulated via satellite integrated with surface geology for the interpretation\nof the block and design of the seismic program corresponding to\n   5\nthe second contractual year. During the second year, THE ASSOCIATE will carry\nout the acquisition of a seismic program of a minimum length of ninety (90)\nkilometers. At the end of the second contractual year, THE ASSOCIATE will have\nthe option to renounce the contract, always provided that it has complied with\nits obligations during the first and second years. If, on the the contrary, it\ndecides to continue to the third year, it must return areas so that it retains\nup to seventy (70.000) thousand hectares.\n\n5.1.2.        During the third year THE ASSOCIATE will drill one (1) Wildcat\nWell until it penetrates the formations which might be Petroleum bearing in the\narea. At the expiration of this third year the Contract will end, if its\nextension has not been requested and authorized pursuant to subsection 5.2\nbelow or a Commercial Field has not been discovered\n\n5.2.          If THE ASSOCIATE has complied satisfactorily with the obligations\nset forth in Clause 5, ECOPETROL, at the request of THE ASSOCIATE, will extend\nyearly for up to three (3) additional years, the Exploration Period, and during\neach year of extension THE ASSOCIATE will be obligated to carry out Exploration\nWork in the Contracted Area, consisting of the drilling of one (1) Wildcat Well\nuntil it penetrates the formations which might be Petroleum bearing in the\narea.\n\n\n5.3.          If during any year of the Exploration Period THE ASSOCIATE\ndecides to carry out work corresponding to its obligations for the following\nyear, it may request ECOPETROL's approval to carry out said work. If the\nrequest is accepted by ECOPETROL, it shall determine the manner and amount in\nwhich the mentioned obligations will be transferred.\n\n5.4.          During the term of this Contract, THE ASSOCIATE may carry out\nExploration Work in the areas which it retains pursuant to clause 8 and THE\nASSOCIATE will be the only one responsible for the risks and costs of these\nactivities and, therefore, shall have the full and exclusive control thereof\nwithout the maximum duration of the contract being modified for this reason.\n\nCLAUSE 6- FURNISHING OF INFORMATION DURING THE EXPLORATION\n\n6.1.          ECOPETROL will furnish to THE ASSOCIATE, when it so requires, all\nthe information in its possession within the Contracted Area. The costs related\nto the reproduction and furnishing of such information shall be for the account\nof THE ASSOCIATE.\n\n6.2.          During the Exploration Period THE ASSOCIATE will deliver to\nECOPETROL, as it is obtained, all the geological and geophysical information,\nedited magnetic tapes, processed seismic sections and all the field information\nsupporting it, magnetic and gravimetric profiles, all in reproducible\noriginals, copies of the geophysical reports, reproducible originals of all\nrecords of the wells drilled by THE ASSOCIATE, including the final composited\ngraph of each well and copies of the final drilling report including core\nsample analysis, the results of production tests and any other information\nrelated to the drilling, study or interpretation of nay nature made by THE\nASSOCIATE for the Contracted Area without limitation. ECOPETROL is entitled, at\nany time and through the procedures it deems appropriate, to witness all the\noperations and verify the information listed above.\n\n6.3           The Parties agree that during the term of this Contract, all the\ninformation obtained in furtherance thereof, is of a confidential nature.\nLikewise, the Parties agree that in each case they may make exchanges with\ncompanies associated or not associated to ECOPETROL. It is understood that what\nis agreed herein will take place without prejudice to the obligation to supply\nto the Ministry of Mines and Energy all the information it may request in\naccordance with the prevailing legal and statutory provisions. Nevertheless, it\nis understood and agreed that THE ASSOCIATE may provide at its sole discretion\nthe information required by its affiliates, consultants, contractors, financial\ninstitutions, and which may be required by competent authorities with\njurisdiction over THE ASSOCIATE or its affiliates, or by the regulations of any\nstock exchange where the stock of THE ASSOCIATE or related corporations are\nlisted.\n\nCLAUSE 7 - BUDGET AND EXPLORATION PROGRAMS\n   6\nTHE ASSOCIATE will be under the obligation to prepare, observing the provisions\nof this Contract, the necessary programs and Budgets to effect the exploration\nin the Contracted Area. Said Budgets and programs shall be presented promptly\nTO ECOPETROL\n\nCLAUSE 8 - RETURN OF AREAS\n\n8.1       At the end of the initial exploration period or of the extensions\nwhich THE ASSOCIATE may have obtained, or at the latest at the expiration of\nthe sixth (6th) year, if a Commercial Field has been discovered in the\nContracted Area, said area shall be reduced to fifty percent (50%) of the\noriginal area: two (2) years later, the area shall be reduced to an extent\nequal to fifty percent (50%) of the initially Contracted Area and two (2) years\nlater said area will be reduced to the area of the Commercial Field or\nCommercial Fields which are in production or development, plus a reserve zone\nfive (5) kilometers wide around each field. The Commercial Fields plus the zone\nsurrounding each field shall be called the exploitation area and this shall be\nthe only part of the Contracted Area that will remain subject to the terms of\nthis contract.\n\n8.2           THE ASSOCIATE shall determine the areas that it will return to\nECOPETROL in lots with a minimum extent of five thousand (5,000) hectares each,\nunless THE ASSOCIATES demonstrates that this is not possible. Despite the\nobligation to return the areas referred to in Clause 8 (subsection 8.1), THE\nASSOCIATE is not obligated to return areas which are under development or in\nproduction, including the reserve zones, five (5) kilometers wide, surrounding\nsaid areas, except in the event that, for reasons attributable to THE\nASSOCIATE, the development or production operations are suspended for more than\na year, continuously, without just cause, in which case said areas shall be\nreturned to ECOPETROL and the Contract shall terminate for said areas or part\nof an area. What is contemplated herein applies equally to exploitation under\nthe sole risk mode.\n\nCHAPTER III - EXPLOITATION\n\nCLAUSE 9 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS\n\n9.1           In order to commence the Joint Venture under the terms of this\ncontract, it is considered that the exploitation work will begin on the date on\nwhich the Parties acknowledge the existence of a Commercial Field or when the\nprovisions of Clause 9 (subsection 9.5).  The existence of a Commercial Field\nwill be determined through the drilling, by THE ASSOCIATE, within the proposed\nCommercial Field, of a sufficient number of wells to allow a reasonable\ndetermination of the area and Commercial potential of the field.  In this case,\nTHE ASSOCIATE shall inform ECOPETROL in writing of the finding of a Commercial\nField, supplying the studies on which it has based this conclusion.  ECOPETROL,\nwithin the term of ninety (90) calendar days as from the date on which THE\nASSOCIATE delivers all the supporting information, shall accept or object the\nexistence of the Commercial Field.  ECOPETROL may request the additional\ninformation it deems necessary within thirty (30) days following the date of\npresentation of the first supporting information.\n\n9.2.1.        If ECOPETROL accepts the existence of the Commercial Field, it\nshall notify THE ASSOCIATE accordingly within the term on ninety (90) calendar\ndays referred to in Clause 9 (subsection 9.1.) and shall begin to participate,\nupon the terms of this contract, in the development of the Commercial Field,\ndiscovered by THE ASSOCIATE.\n\n9.2.2.        ECOPETROL shall reimburse THE ASSOCIATE for fifty percent (50%)\nof the Direct Exploration Cost of:\n\n9.2.2.1       The drilling by THE ASSOCIATE of Wildcat Wells which have turned\nout to be commercially productive.\n\n9.2.2.2       The seismic acquisition and drilling of a stratigraphic mine\ncarried out prior to the date on which ECOPETROL makes an announcement in\nrespect of the existence of each Commercial Field.\n   7\n9.2.2.3       The drilling of Wildcat Wells A-1, according to the Lahee\nclassification, which are dry, drilled by the ASSOCIATE prior to the date on\nwhich ECOPETROL has made an announcement with regard to the existence of a\nCommercial Field.\n\n9.2.2.4       The drilling of Wildcat Wells which are dry and have been drilled\nby the ASSOCIATE prior to the discovery well of each Commercial Field.\n\n9.2.3          The amount of these costs shall be determined in dollars of the\nUnited States of America, using as a reference date that on which THE ASSOCIATE\nhas made such payments: therefore the costs incurred in pesos will be paid at\nthe representative market exchange rate certified by the Bank of the Republic\non the above date.\n\n9.2.4.        The reimbursement of the Direct Exploration Costs in accordance\nwith that stipulated in Clause 9 (subsection 9.2.2.) will be made by ECOPETROL\nto THE ASSOCIATE, from the moment in which the field is put into production by\nthe Operator, with the amount in dollars equivalent to fifty per cent (50%) in\nthe direct participation in the total production of the respective field, after\ndeducting the percentage corresponding to  royalties.\n\n9.3.           If ECOPETROL does not accept the existence of the Commercial\nField referred to in clause 9 (subsection 9.1.) it may indicate to THE\nASSOCIATE the additional work it considers necessary in order to demonstrate\nthe existence of a Commercial Field, which work may not have a cost in excess\nof TWO MILLION DOLLARS (US$2.000.000.oo), nor may it require for its execution\na term of more than one (1) year, in which case, the Exploration Period for the\nContracted Are shall be automatically extended for a length of time equal to\nthat agreed upon between the Parties as necessary in order to perform the\nadditional work requested by ECOPETROL in this clause, but without prejudice to\nthe provisions regarding the reduction of areas in Clause 8 (subsection 8.1.).\n\n9.4.           If ECOPETROL, after the additional work requested by it pursuant\nto clause 9 (subsection 9.3) has been executed, accepts the existence of the\nCommercial Field referred to in clause 9 (subsection 9.1.), it shall begin to\nparticipate in the development operations of the aforementioned field upon the\nterms established in this contract and shall reimburse THE ASSOCIATE in the\nmanner established in clause 9 (subsection 9.2.3. and 9.2.4), for fifty percent\n(50%) of the cost of the additional work requested, as mentioned in Clause 9\n(subsection 9.3) and the work executed shall become the property of the Joint\nAccount.\n\n9.5.          If ECOPETROL does not accept the existence of a Commercial Field\nafter the additional work referred to in clause 9 (subsection 9.3) has been\nperformed, THE ASSOCIATE shall be entitled to execute the work it deems\nnecessary for the exploitation of said field and to reimburse itself for two\nhundred percent (200%) of the total cost of the work executed for its account\nand risk, in the respective field and up to fifty percent of the Direct\nExploration Costs which THE ASSOCIATE has carried out prior to the discovery\npursuant to clause 9 (subsection 9.2.2) For the purposes of this clause the\nreimbursement will be made on the value of the Petroleum produced, less the\nroyalties referred to in Clause 13, deducting the costs of production,\ngathering, transportation and sale. If THE ASSOCIATE is using the sole risk\nmethod, it is understood that the term for exploitation commences counted from\nthe date on which ECOPETROL communicates to THE ASSOCIATE that it does no\naccept the commerciality. For the purposes of calculating the dollar value of\nthe disbursements made in pesos, the exchange rate for the date on which\nECOPETROL made such payments shall be used.  For the purposes of this clause,\nthe value of each barrel of Petroleum produced in said field during a calendar\nmonth shall be the average price per barred received by THE ASSOCIATE from the\nsale of its participation in the Petroleum produced in the Contracted Area\nduring he same month.  When THE ASSOCIATE has been reimbursed in the percentage\nestablished in this clause, all the wells drilled, the facilities and goods of\nall types acquired by THE ASSOCIATES for the exploitation of the field and paid\nas indicated in this clause, shall become the property of the Joint Account at\nno cost, upon the acceptance by ECOPETROL of participating in the development\nof that field.\n\n9.6.          ECOPETROL may begin at any time to participate in the operation\nof the field discovered and developed by THE ASSOCIATE without prejudice to the\nright of THE ASSOCIATE to reimburse itself for the investments it has made for\nits own account in the manner and percentage stipulated in Clause 9 (subsection\n9.5).  Once THE ASSOCIATE has recovered such amounts, ECOPETROL shall begin to\nparticipate in the economic results of the wells developed  exclusively for the\naccount of THE ASSOCIATE.\n   8\n9.7.          In order to delimit a Commercial Field, all the geological and\ngeophysical information and the information pertaining to the wells drilled\nwithin said field or related to it shall be considered.\n\n9.8.          If at the end of the Exploration Period of six (6) years referred\nto in Clause 5 (subsection 5.2.) THE ASSOCIATE has drilled one or several\nWildcat Wells which indicate the possible existence of a Commercial Field,\nECOPETROL, at the request of THE ASSOCIATE, shall extend the Exploration Period\nfor the necessary time, which shall not exceed one (1) year, to give THE\nASSOCIATE the opportunity to demonstrate the existence of said Commercial\nField, without prejudice to the provisions of Clause 8.\n\nCLAUSE 10 - TECHNICAL CONTROL OF THE OPERATIONS\n\n10.1.         The parties agree that THE ASSOCIATE is the Operator and, as\nsuch, with the limitations contemplated in this contract, will have the control\nof all the operations and activities it considers necessary for a technical,\nefficient and economical exploitation of the Petroleum found within the area of\nthe Commercial Field.\n\n10.2.         The Operator is under the obligation to carry out all the\ndevelopment and production operations in accordance with the known industrial\nregulations and practices, using the best technical methods and systems\nrequired for the economic and efficient exploitation of the Petroleum and\napplying the legal and statutory provisions on the matter.\n\n10.3.         For all purposes of this Contract, the Operator shall be\nconsidered a distinct entity from the Parties, and likewise for the application\nof the civil, labor and administrative legislation and for its relations with\nthe personnel in its service, in accordance with Clause 32.\n\n10.4.         The Operator shall be entitled to resign from said position, by\nwritten notice to the Parties given six (6) months in advance of the date on\nwhich it wishes its resignation to take effect.  The executive Committee shall\ndesignate the new Operator in accordance with Clause 19 (subsection 19.3.2).\n\nCLAUSE 11 - EXPLOITATION PROGRAMS AND BUDGETS\n\n11.1.         Within three (3) months following the acceptance of a Commercial\nField in the Contracted Area, the Operator shall submit to the Parties and\nactivity program and a Budget for the remainder of the pertinent calendar.  In\nthe event that there area less than six and a half (6-1\/2) left before the end\nof that year the Operator shall prepare and submit a Budget and programs for\nthe following calendar year, within a term of three (3) months.\n\nThe future Budgets and programs shall be submitted to the Parties at the\nordinary meeting of the Executive Committee scheduled for the month of July of\nthe immediately preceding year.  Within twenty (20) days following the receipt\nof the Budgets and programs, the Parties shall inform the Operator in writing\nof the changes they wish to propose.  When this occurs, the Operator shall take\ninto account the observations and modifications proposed by the Parties in the\npreparation of the Budget and of the programs which shall be submitted for the\nfinal approval of the Executive Committee, at the ordinary meeting held in\nNovember of each year, except in the event that there are less than six and a\nhalf (6-1\/2) months left before the end of the year in which the existence of\nthe Commercial Field is recognized.  In the event that the total Budget has not\nbeen approved before the month of November, those aspects of the Budget as to\nwhich an agreement has been reached shall be approved by the Executive\nCommittee, and those aspects which are not approved shall be submitted\nimmediately to the Parties for further study and a final decision as provided\nin Clause 20.\n\n11.2.         The Parties may propose additions or revisions to the Budget and\nto the approved programs, but, except in case of emergency, these must not be\nmade with a frequency of less than three (3) months.  The executive Committee\nshall decide on the additions and revisions proposed at a meeting, which shall\nbe called within thirty (39) days following the submission thereof.\n\n11.3.         The purpose of the programs and Budgets is mainly:\n\n11.3.1.       To determine the operations which are to be carried out during\nthe following calendar year; and\n   9\n11.3.2.       To determine the expenditures and investments which the Operator\nis empowered to make.\n\n11.4.         The terms program and Budget mean the indicated work plan and the\nestimated expenditures and investments to be made by the Operator in the\ndifferent aspects of the operation, such as:\n\n11.4.1.       Capital investments in production:  drilling for the development\nof fields, workover or rehabilitation of wells and specific constructions for\nproduction.\n\n11.4.2.       General construction and equipment: industrial and campsite\nfacilities, transportation and construction equipment, drilling and production\nequipment.  Other constructions and equipment.\n\n11.4.3.       Maintenance and operation expenses:  production expenses,\ngeological expenses and administration expenses for the operation.\n\n11.4.4.       Working capital requirements.\n\n11.4.5.       Contingency funds.\n\n11.5.         The Operator shall make all the expenditures and investments and\nshall complete the development and production operations in accordance with the\nprograms and Budgets referred to in Clause 11 (subsection 11.1), without\nexceeding ten percent (10%) of the total Budget for each year, except with the\nauthorization of the Parties in special cases.\n\n11.6.         The Operator shall not, on its own decision, commence any\nproject, nor shall it charge to the Joint Account expenses not approved in the\nBudget, which exceed the sum of forty thousand dollars of the United States of\nAmerica (US$40.000) or its equivalent in Colombian currency, by project or by\nquarter.\n\n11.7.         The Operator is authorized to make expenditures imputable to the\nJoint Account without the prior authorization of the Executive Committee, in\nthe case of emergency measures intended to safeguard the personnel or property\nof the Parties, emergency expenditures originating from fire, floods, storms\nand other disasters; emergency expenditures necessary for the operation and the\nmaintenance of the production facilities, including the maintenance of the\nwells in a condition to produce with the maximum efficiency; emergency\nexpenditures indispensable for the protection and preservation of materials and\nequipment necessary in the operations.  In these cases the Operator must call a\nspecial meeting of the Executive Committee as soon as possible, in order to\nobtain its approval to continue with the emergency measures.\n\nCLAUSE 12 - PRODUCTION\n\n12.1.         With the frequency which may be necessary, the Operator shall\ndetermine, with the approval of the Executive Committee, the Maximum Degree of\nProductive Efficiency (MER) for each Commercial Field.  This Maximum Degree of\nProductive Efficiency (MER) shall be the maximum rate of production of\nPetroleum which may be extracted from a field in order to obtain the maximum\nfinal recovery of the reserves.  The estimated production shall be reduced in\nthe manner necessary to compensate the actual or anticipated conditions of the\noperation, such as wells under repair which are not producing, capacity\nlimitations in the collector lines, in the pumps, in the separators, in the\ntanks, in the pipelines and in other facilities.\n\n12.2.         Periodically, at least once a year, the Operator shall determine,\nwith the approval of the Executive Committee, the area considered capable of\nproducing Petroleum in a commercial quantity in each field and shall propose a\nspacing and schedule for the drilling of Development Wells under conditions of\neconomy and efficiency.\n\n12.3          The Operator shall prepare and deliver to each of the Parties, at\nregular three-month intervals, a program indicating the participation in the\nproduction and another showing the distribution of the production of each Party\nfor the next six (6) months.  The production forecast shall be made based on\nthe Maximum Degree of Productive Efficiency (MER) as stipulated in Clause 12\n(subsection 12.1) and adjusted to the rights of each Party, in accordance with\nthis\n   10\ncontract.  The production distribution program shall be determined bases on the\nperiodic petitions of each Party, and in accordance with Clause 14 (subsection\n14.2) with the corrections which might be necessary to ensure that neither one\nof the Parties, being capable of withdrawing, will receive less than the amount\nto which it is entitled as provided in Clause 14 without prejudice to the\nprovisions in Clauses 21 (subsection 21.2) and 22 (subsection 22.5).\n\n12.4.         If either one of the Parties anticipates a reduction in its\ncapacity to receive Petroleum with respect to the forecast furnished to the\nOperator, it must inform the latter thereof as soon as possible, and if such a\nreduction is due to an emergency situation, it shall notify the Operator within\ntwelve (12) hours following the occurrence of the event which causes the\nreduction.  Therefore, said party shall furnish a new receipt program to the\nOperator, taking into account the pertinent reduction.\n\n12.5          The Operator may use the crude oil and the gas consumed in\ncarrying out the production operations in the Contracted Area and these\nconsumptions are exempt from the royalties referred to in Clause 13\n(subsections 13.1 and 13.2).\n\nCLAUSE 13 - ROYALTIES\n\n13.1.         During the exploitation of the Contract Are, prior to the\ndistribution of the production corresponding to the Parties, the Operator shall\ndeliver to ECOPETROL by way of a royalty twenty percent (20%) of the verified\nproduction of liquid hydrocarbons of said area.  ECOPETROL, for its account and\nrisk, shall take in kind from the tanks belonging to the Joint Account the\nproduction percentage corresponding to the royalty.\n\n13.2.         By way of a royalty, the Operator shall deliver to ECOPETROL\ntwenty percent (20%) of the gas production.\n\n13.3.         Of the production percentage corresponding to the royalty,\nECOPETROL, in the manner and upon the terms established by the law, shall pay\nthe Nation, Departments and Municipalities, the royalties corresponding to the\ntotal production of the Commercial Field, and THE ASSOCIATE shall in no case be\nresponsible for any payment to these entities and persons for said account.\n\nCLAUSE 14 - DISTRIBUTION AND AVAILABILITY OF THE PETROLEUM\n\n14.1.         The Petroleum produced, with the exception of that which has been\nused for the benefit of the operations under this contract and that which is\ninevitably lost in these operations, shall be transported to the common tanks\nof the Parties or to other measurement facilities agreed by the Parties.  The\nPetroleum shall be measured in accordance with the standards and methods\naccepted by the oil industry and, bases on this measurement, the percentages\nreferred to in Clause 13 shall be determined.  From that moment on, the\nremaining Petroleum shall become the property of each party in the proportions\nspecified in this Contract.\n\n14.2          Distribution of Production\n\n14.2.1        After deducting the percentages corresponding to the royalty, the\nremaining petroleum and gas produced from the Contracted Area shall belong to\nthe Parties in the proportion of fifty (50%) percent for ECOPETROL and fifty\n(50%) percent for THE ASSOCIATE until the accumulated production in the\nContracted Area reaches the quantity of 60 million barrels of oil .  14.2.2\nWhen the accumulated production is in excess of 60 million barrels of oil, the\nremaining petroleum and gas produced from the Contracted Area (with the prior\ndeduction of the percentage corresponding to the royalty) belongs to the\nParties in the proportion resulting from the application of the factor R as\nappears in the following chart:\n\nFACTOR R      Distribution of Production after deduction of Royalties\n   11\n<\/pre>\n<table>\n<caption>\n                            ASSOCIATE                    ECOPETROL<br \/>\n<s>                         <c>                          <c><br \/>\n0.0 to 1.0                  50                           50<br \/>\n1.0 to 2.0                  50\/R                         100-50\/r<br \/>\n2.0 or more                 25                           75<br \/>\n<\/c><\/c><\/s><\/caption>\n<\/table>\n<p>14.2.3        For purposes of the above mentioned chart factor R is defined in<br \/>\nthe following terms:<\/p>\n<p>              R =                 IA<br \/>\n                    &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<br \/>\n                            ID + A-B + GO<\/p>\n<p>Where:<br \/>\n              IA (Accumulated Income of THE ASSOCIATE): The valorization of the<br \/>\naccumulated income corresponding to the volume of hydrocarbons produced by THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE at the price of reference agreed by the parties, excluding the<br \/>\nhydrocarbons re-injected into the Fields of the Contracted Area, and those<br \/>\nconsumed in the operation and the burnt off gas.<\/p>\n<p>The average price of reference of the hydrocarbons will be determined by the<br \/>\nmutual agreement of the Parties.  The Accumulated Income will be determined by<br \/>\ntaking as a base the Monthly Income, which will itself be determined by<br \/>\nmultiplying the average monthly price of  reference by the monthly production<br \/>\npursuant to Form 9 of the MME.<\/p>\n<p>              ID (Accumulated Development Investments): Fifty per cent (50%) of<br \/>\nthe accumulated development investments approved by the Executive Committee of<br \/>\nthe Association.<\/p>\n<p>              A: The Direct Exploration Costs incurred by THE ASSOCIATE<br \/>\npursuant to Clause 9 (subsections 9.2.2, 9.2.3, and 9.2.4) of this Contract.<\/p>\n<p>              B: The accumulated repayment of the Direct Exploration Costs,<br \/>\nreferred to above, pursuant to Clause 9 (subsections 9.2.2, 9.2.3 and 9.2.4) of<br \/>\nthis Contract.<\/p>\n<p>              GO: The accumulated expenses  of the operation, approved by the<br \/>\nExecutive Committee of the Association, in the proportion corresponding to THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE, together with the accumulated transport costs of THE ASSOCIATE.<br \/>\nTransport costs are the investment and operation expenses of the transportation<br \/>\nof hydrocarbons, produced in the commercial fields situated in the Contracted<br \/>\nArea, from these commercial fields to the port of export or the place where the<br \/>\nprice to be used in the calculation of income is to be agreed.<\/p>\n<p>              IA: These transport costs will be determined by the Parties by<br \/>\nmutual agreement once the exploitation stage of the fields which have been<br \/>\naccepted as commercially viable by ECOPETROL begins.  Extraordinary or similar<br \/>\nContributions  which are directly applicable to the exploitation of<br \/>\nhydrocarbons in the Contracted Area are included in the Operation Expenses.<\/p>\n<p>All the amounts included in the determination of factor R are to be in dollars.<\/p>\n<p>To achieve this, expenses in pesos must be converted into dollars at the<br \/>\nrepresentative market exchange rate, as certified by the Bank of the Republic,<br \/>\non the date on which the corresponding payments have been made.<\/p>\n<p>14.2.4        Calculation of Factor R:     The distribution of the production<br \/>\nbased on Factor R will be applied from the first day of the third calendar<br \/>\nmonth following the one in which the accumulated production in the Contracted<br \/>\nArea reaches sixty million barrels of Pertroleum. The calculation of Factor R<br \/>\nwill be based on the accounting close corresponding to the calendar month of<br \/>\nthe financial year in which the accumulated production in the Contracted Area<br \/>\nreaches sixty million barrels of Petroleum. The resulting production<br \/>\ndistribution will apply until 30 June of the following year. From this moment,<br \/>\nthe distribution of production to which Factor R will apply, will be made for<br \/>\nperiods of one<br \/>\n   12<br \/>\nyear (from 1 July to 30 June)), the payment of this, to be based on the<br \/>\naccumulated values at 31 December of the year immediately preceding, in<br \/>\naccordance with the corresponding accounting close.<\/p>\n<p>14.2.5.       In the event that a field produces both crude oil and gas, in<br \/>\norder to apply the foregoing distribution chart the total accumulated<br \/>\nproduction which shall be taken into account shall be that of the principal<br \/>\nhydrocarbon in accordance with the authorization granted by the Ministry of<br \/>\nMines and Energy for the exploitation of said field.  In order to determine the<br \/>\ntotal accumulated production, the measurement for the equivalent gas is the<br \/>\namount of 7,000 standard cubic feet of gas per barrel of Petroleum.<\/p>\n<p>14.3.         In addition to the tanks and other jointly-owned facilities, each<br \/>\nParty shall have the right to build its own production facilities in the<br \/>\nContracted Area for its own and exclusive use, complying with the legal<br \/>\nregulations.  The transportation and delivery of Petroleum by each Party to the<br \/>\npipeline and to other reservoirs which are not jointly owned shall be made for<br \/>\nthe exclusive account and risk of the Party which receives the Petroleum.<\/p>\n<p>14.4.         In the event that production is obtained at places not connected<br \/>\nby pipelines, charging the Joint Account the Parties may agree to install<br \/>\npipelines to the point where the Petroleum can be sold, or to a place which<br \/>\nconnects with the pipeline.  If the parties agree to build such pipelines, they<br \/>\nshall enter into the contracts they consider appropriate for such purpose and<br \/>\nshall designate the Operator in accordance with the prevailing legal<br \/>\nprovisions.<\/p>\n<p>14.5.         Each Party shall be the owner of the Petroleum produced and<br \/>\nstored as a result of the Operation and placed at its disposal, as stipulated<br \/>\nin this contract, and at its cost must receive it in kind or sell or dispose of<br \/>\nit separately, as provided in Clause 14 (subsection 14.3).<\/p>\n<p>14.6.         If either one of the Parties, for any reason whatsoever, cannot<br \/>\nseparately dispose of, or withdraw from the tanks of the Joint Account all or<br \/>\npart of the Petroleum corresponding to it pursuant to this contract, the<br \/>\nfollowing procedure shall apply:<\/p>\n<p>14.6.1.       If ECOPETROL is the party which cannot withdraw, in whole or in<br \/>\npart, its share of Petroleum (participation plus royalty), in accordance with<br \/>\nClause 12 (subsection 12.3), the Operator may continue to produce the field and<br \/>\nto deliver to THE ASSOCIATE, in addition to the portion representing THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE&#8217;s share in the operation bases on one hundred percent (100%) of the<br \/>\nMER, all that Petroleum which THE ASSOCIATE chooses and is able to withdraw up<br \/>\nto a limit of one hundred percent (100%) of the MER, crediting to ECOPETROL,<br \/>\nfor subsequent delivery, the volume of Petroleum which ECOPETROL was entitled<br \/>\nto but did not withdraw.  But as regards the volume of Petroleum not withdrawn<br \/>\nwhich corresponds to ECOPETROL that month as royalties, THE ASSOCIATE, at the<br \/>\nrequest of ECOPETROL, shall pay the latter in dollars of the United States of<br \/>\nAmerica, the difference between the quantity of Petroleum withdrawn and the<br \/>\nquantity of Petroleum corresponding to it by way of the royalty referred to in<br \/>\nClause 13 (subsections 13.1 and 13.2), it being understood that any withdrawal<br \/>\nof Petroleum made by ECOPETROL shall be applied, in the first place, to the<br \/>\npayment in kind of the royalty, and that once this has been paid, the<br \/>\nadditional withdrawals of Petroleum made shall be applied to the participation<br \/>\ncorresponding to it according to Clause 14 (subsection 14.2).<\/p>\n<p>14.6.2.       In the event THE ASSOCIATE is the Party which cannot withdraw, in<br \/>\nwhole or in part, its portion assigned under Clause 12 (subsection 12.3), the<br \/>\nOperator shall deliver to ECOPETROL, based on one hundred percent (100%) of the<br \/>\nMER, not only the participation and share corresponding to it, but also the<br \/>\nPetroleum which ECOPETROL is able to withdraw up to a limit to THE ASSOCIATE<br \/>\nfor its subsequent delivery, the portion corresponding to its share which it<br \/>\nhas not been able to withdraw.<\/p>\n<p>14.7.         When both parties are able to receive the Petroleum assigned<br \/>\nunder clause 12 (subsection 12.3), the Operator shall deliver to the Party<br \/>\nwhich before was unable to receive its share of the production and, at its<br \/>\nrequest, in addition to its participation in the operation, a minimum of ten<br \/>\npercent (10%) per month of the monthly production corresponding to the other<br \/>\nParty and, by mutual agreement, up to one hundred percent (100%) of the<br \/>\nunreceived share, up to the time when the total quantities credited to the<br \/>\nParty which was unable to receive its Petroleum, have been cancelled.<br \/>\n   13<br \/>\n14.8.         Without prejudice to the legal provisions which govern the<br \/>\nmatter, each Party shall be free, at any time, to sell or export its share of<br \/>\nPetroleum obtained, under this contract, or to dispose of it in any way.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 15 &#8211; UTILIZATION OF GAS<\/p>\n<p>In the event that one or several fields of Petroleum in liquid state with<br \/>\nassociated gas, the Operator within two (2) years following the commencement of<br \/>\ncommercial production in the field, shall present a project for the utilization<br \/>\nof the Natural Gas for the benefit of the Joint Account.  The Executive<br \/>\nCommittee shall approve the project and determine the schedule for its<br \/>\nexecution.  If the Operator does not present a project within a term of two (2)<br \/>\nyears of fails to execute the project which has been approved within the period<br \/>\nestablished by the Executive Committee, ECOPETROL may take, free of charge, for<br \/>\nitself all the available gas from the fields under exploitation, insofar as it<br \/>\nis not required for the efficient exploitation of the field.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 16 &#8211; UNIFICATION<\/p>\n<p>When an economically exploitable field extends in a continuous manner to a<br \/>\nstructure located in the Contracted Area or another        or other areas, the<br \/>\nOperator in agreement with ECOPETROL and with the other interested parties,<br \/>\nshall implement, with the prior approval of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, a<br \/>\nunit exploitation plan, which must agree with the Petroleum exploitation<br \/>\nengineering techniques.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 17  &#8211;  SUPPLY OF INFORMATION AND INSPECTION DURING  EXPLOITATION<\/p>\n<p>17.1          The Operator shall deliver to the Parties, as they are  obtained,<br \/>\nreproducible originals (sepias), and copies of the  electrical, radioactive and<br \/>\nsonic records of the wells drilled,  histories, core analyses, production tests<br \/>\nand all routine  reports made or received in relation to the operations and<br \/>\nactivities carried on in the Contracted Area.<\/p>\n<p>17.2          Each one of the Parties, at its expense and for its  account and<br \/>\nrisk, shall be entitled, through authorized  representatives, to inspect the<br \/>\nwells and facilities of the  Contracted Area and the activities related<br \/>\ntherewith.  Said  representatives shall be entitled to examine cores, samples,<br \/>\nmaps, records of the wells drilled, surveys, books and any other  source of<br \/>\ninformation related to the development of this  contract.<\/p>\n<p>17.3          In order for ECOPETROL to comply with the provisions of  Clause<br \/>\n29, the Operator shall prepare and deliver to ECOPETROL  all the reports<br \/>\nrequired by the National Government.<\/p>\n<p>17.4          The information and data related to exploitation work must  be<br \/>\nkept confidential in the same terms of Clause 6 (subsection  6.3) hereof.<\/p>\n<p>CHAPTER IV  &#8211;  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 18  &#8211;  CONSTITUTION<\/p>\n<p>18.1          Within thirty (30) calendar days following the acceptance  of a<br \/>\nCommercial Field, each Party shall appoint a representative  and its<br \/>\ncorresponding first and second alternates, to make up the  Executive Committee<br \/>\nand inform the other Party in writing of the  names and addresses of its<br \/>\nrepresentative and alternates.  The  Parties may change representative or<br \/>\nalternates at any time, but  must inform the other party in writing.  The vote<br \/>\nor decision of  the representative of each one of the Parties shall bind said<br \/>\nParty.  If the principal representative of one of the Parties cannot attend a<br \/>\nmeeting of the Committee, he shall designate in  writing the alternate who is<br \/>\nto attend, who shall have the same  authority as the principal.<\/p>\n<p>18.2          The Executive Committee shall hold ordinary meetings during  the<br \/>\nmonths of March, July and November, in which the exploitation  program carried<br \/>\nout by the Operator and the immediate plans shall  be reviewed.  Annually, at<br \/>\nthe ordinary meeting held in July, the  Operator shall present to the Executive<br \/>\nCommittee the annual  operating<br \/>\n   14<br \/>\nprogram and the expenditure and investment Budget for  the following calendar<br \/>\nyear, which shall be examined and approved at the ordinary meeting of the month<br \/>\nof November.<\/p>\n<p>18.3          The Parties and the Operator may request the calling of  special<br \/>\nmeetings of Executive Committee to analyze specific  conditions of the<br \/>\noperation.  The Chairman of the Committee shall  notify, ten (10) calendar days<br \/>\nin advance, the date of the  meeting and the matters that are going to be<br \/>\nconsidered.  Any  matter which has not been included in the agenda of the<br \/>\nmeeting  may be taken up during it, with the prior acceptance of the<br \/>\nrepresentatives of the Parties in the Committee.<\/p>\n<p>18.4          The representative of each of the Parties shall have in all<br \/>\nmatters discussed by the Executive Committee, a vote equivalent  to the<br \/>\npercentage of its total Interests in the Joint Venture.   In order to be valid,<br \/>\nany resolution or determination made by the  Executive Committee must have the<br \/>\naffirmative vote of more than  fifty percent (50%) of the total Interest.  In<br \/>\naccordance with  the enunciated procedure, the decisions adopted by the<br \/>\nExecutive  Committee shall be mandatory and definitive for the Parties and  for<br \/>\nthe Operator.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 19  &#8211;  FUNCTIONS<\/p>\n<p>19.1          The representatives of the Parties shall constitute the<br \/>\nExecutive Committee, invested with full authority and  responsibility to<br \/>\nestablish and adopt exploitation, development,  operating programs and Budgets<br \/>\nrelated to this contract.  A  representative of the Operator shall attend the<br \/>\nmeetings of the  Executive Committee.<\/p>\n<p>19.2          The Executive Committee shall appoint its Secretary.  The<br \/>\nSecretary shall keep complete and detailed records and minutes of  each<br \/>\nmeeting, as well as notes on all the discussions and  determinations made by<br \/>\nthe Committee.  The copies of these  minutes, in order to be valid, must be<br \/>\napproved and signed by the  representatives of the Parties within five (5)<br \/>\nbusiness days  following the adjournment of the meeting and delivered to them<br \/>\nas soon as possible.<\/p>\n<p>19.3          The functions of the Executive Committee are, among others,  the<br \/>\nfollowing:<\/p>\n<p>19.3.1        To adopt its own regulations.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.2        To designate the Operator in case of resignation or  removal.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.3        To designate the External Auditor of the Joint Account. &#8211;<\/p>\n<p>19.3.4        To approve or disapprove the annual operating program and  the<br \/>\nexpense Budget and any amendment or revision and to authorize  extraordinary<br \/>\nexpenses.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.5        To determine the expense rules and policies.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.6        To approve or disapprove any recommendation regarding  expenses<br \/>\nmade by the Operator (which have not been included in  the approved Budget)<br \/>\nwhen said expenses exceed the amount of  forty thousand dollars of the United<br \/>\nStates of America  (US$40,000) or its equivalent in Colombian currency.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.7        To advise the Operator and decide on matters submitted  for its<br \/>\nconsideration.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.8        To create the subcommittees deemed necessary and  establish the<br \/>\nfunctions which they are to carry out, under its  direction and charging the<br \/>\nJoint Account.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.9        To define the type and periodicity of the drilling,  operation<br \/>\nand production reports and any other information which  the Operator must<br \/>\nfurnish to the Parties charging the Joint  Account.<\/p>\n<p>19.3.10       To supervise the operation of the Joint Account.<br \/>\n   15<br \/>\n19.3.11       To authorize the Operator to enter into contracts on  behalf of<br \/>\nthe Joint Venture in amounts exceeding forty thousand  dollars of the United<br \/>\nStates of America (US$40,000) or its  equivalent in Colombian legal tender, and<\/p>\n<p>19.3.12       In general, to perform all functions authorized in this  contract<br \/>\nand which do not correspond to another entity or person  pursuant to an express<br \/>\nclause or a legal or statutory provision.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 20  &#8211;  DECISION IN CASE OF DISAGREEMENT IN THE OPERATION<\/p>\n<p>20.1          Any project related to the Joint Venture which requires for  its<br \/>\nexecution the approval of the Executive Committee, as  established in this<br \/>\ncontract and regarding which the  representatives of the Parties in said<br \/>\ncommittee are in  disagreement, shall be submitted directly to the highest<br \/>\nexecutive of each of the Parties residing in Colombia, in order  to make a<br \/>\njoint decision.  If within sixty (60) calendar days  following the submittal of<br \/>\nthe consultation the Parties have  reached an agreement or decision regarding<br \/>\nthe matter in  question, they shall communicate this to the Secretary of the<br \/>\nExecutive Committee, who shall call a meeting of that body within  fifteen (15)<br \/>\ncalendar days following the receipt of the  communication and the members of<br \/>\nsaid Committee shall be  obligated to ratify the agreement or decision at said<br \/>\nmeeting.<\/p>\n<p>20.2          If within sixty (60) calendar days following the date of<br \/>\nsubmittal of the consultation the Parties do not reach an  agreement regarding<br \/>\nthe difference,  the operations may be  carried out in accordance with Clause<br \/>\n21.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 21  &#8211;  OPERATIONS UNDER THE RISK OF ONE OF THE PARTIES<\/p>\n<p>21.1          If at any time one of the Parties wishes to drill a  Wildcat Well<br \/>\nnot approved in the operation program, it shall  notify the other Party in<br \/>\nwriting, no less than thirty (30)  calendar days in advance of the next meeting<br \/>\nof the Executive  Committee, of its desire to drill said well, including<br \/>\ninformation such as location, recommendation to drill, depth and  estimated<br \/>\ncosts.  The Operator shall include said proposal among  the items to be taken<br \/>\nup at the next meeting of the Executive  Committee.  If this proposal is<br \/>\napproved by the Executive  Committee, said well shall be drilled charging the<br \/>\nJoint Account.   If said proposal is not accepted by the Executive Committee,<br \/>\nthe  party who wishes to drill the mentioned well, hereinafter called  the<br \/>\nparticipating Party, shall have the right to drill, complete, produce or<br \/>\nabandon said well at its exclusive expense and risk.   The Party who does not<br \/>\nwish to participate in the foregoing  operation shall be called the<br \/>\nnon-participating Party.  The  participating Party shall commence the drilling<br \/>\nof said well  within one hundred eighty (180) days following its rejection by<br \/>\nthe Executive Committee.  If the drilling is not commenced within  this period,<br \/>\nit must again be submitted to the consideration of  the Executive Committee.<br \/>\nAt the request of the participating  Party, the Operator shall drill the<br \/>\naforementioned well for the  account and risk of the Participating party,<br \/>\nprovided that in the  judgment of the Operator this operation does not<br \/>\ninterfere with  the normal development of the field operations, upon the<br \/>\nadvance  to the Operator, by the participating Party, of the sums which  the<br \/>\nOperator deems necessary in order to carry out the drilling.   In the event<br \/>\nsaid well cannot be drilled by the Operator without  interfering with the<br \/>\nnormal development of the operations, the  participating Party shall be<br \/>\nentitled to drill said well directly  or through a competent service company<br \/>\nand, in this case, the  participating Party shall be responsible for said<br \/>\noperation,  ithout interfering with the development of the normal field<br \/>\noperations.<\/p>\n<p>21.2          If the well referred to in Clause 21 (subsection 21.1) is<br \/>\ncompleted as productive, it shall be administrated by the  Operator and the<br \/>\nproduction of said well, after deducting the  royalty referred to in Clause 13,<br \/>\nshall be the property of the  participating Party,  which shall cover all the<br \/>\nexpenses of the  operation of said well until the net value of the production,<br \/>\nafter deducting the costs of production, gathering, storage,  transportation<br \/>\nand the like and sales, is equal to two hundred  percent (200%) of the cost of<br \/>\ndrilling and completion of said  well, which from that moment on and for the<br \/>\npurposes of this  contract shall be the property of the Joint Account, as if it<br \/>\nhad been drilled with the approval of the Executive Committee for the  account<br \/>\nof the Parties.  For the purposes of this clause, the  value of each barrel of<br \/>\nPetroleum produced at said well during a  calendar month, before deducting the<br \/>\naforementioned costs, shall  be the average price per barrel received by the<br \/>\nparticipating  Party from the sales of its participation in the Petroleum<br \/>\nproduced in the Contracted Area during that same month.<\/p>\n<p>21.3          If at any time one of the Parties wishes to work over,  deepen or<br \/>\nplug a well which is not in commercial production or  which is a dry well that<br \/>\nhas been drilled by the Joint Account,  and if these operations have not been<br \/>\n   16<br \/>\nincluded in a program  approved by the Executive Committee, said Party shall<br \/>\nadvise the  other Party of its intention to work over, deepen or plug the<br \/>\nmentioned well.  If there is no equipment at the location, the  procedure<br \/>\nindicated in Clause 21 (subsections 21.1 and 21.2)  shall be applied.  If there<br \/>\nis adequate equipment at the well site  to conduct the proposed operations, the<br \/>\nParty receiving notice of  the operations which the other Party wishes to carry<br \/>\nout, shall have a term of forty-eight (48) hours counted as from the receipt<br \/>\nof the notice to approve or disapprove the operation, and if  during this term<br \/>\nno answer is received it shall be understood  that the operation will be<br \/>\ncarried out for the account and risk  of the Joint Account.  If the proposed<br \/>\nwork is carried out for  the exclusive account and risk of one participating<br \/>\nParty, the  well shall be administrated subject to Clause 21 (subsection<br \/>\n21.2).<\/p>\n<p>21.4          If at any time one of the Parties wishes to construct new<br \/>\nfacilities for the extraction of liquids from the gas and for the  transport<br \/>\nand exportation of Petroleum, which shall be known as  additional facilities,<br \/>\nsaid Party shall notify the other in  writing providing the following<br \/>\ninformation:<\/p>\n<p>21.4.1        General description, design, specifications and estimated  costs<br \/>\nof the additional facilities.<\/p>\n<p>21.4.2        Projected capacity.<\/p>\n<p>21.4.3        Approximate starting date of the construction and  duration<br \/>\nthereof.  Within ninety (90) days counted as from the  date of the notice, the<br \/>\nother Party, through a written notice,  shall be entitled to decide whether it<br \/>\nparticipates in the  projected additional facilities.  In the event said Party<br \/>\nchooses  not to participate in the additional facilities, or does not  reply to<br \/>\nthe proposal of the participating Party, hereinafter  called the constructor<br \/>\nParty, the latter may proceed with the  additional facilities and order the<br \/>\nOperator to construct,  operate and maintain said facilities at the exclusive<br \/>\nexpense and  risk of the constructor Party, without prejudice to the normal<br \/>\ndevelopment of the Joint Operations.  The constructor Party may  negotiate with<br \/>\nthe other Party the use of said facilities for the  Joint Venture.  During the<br \/>\ntime that the facilities are operated  for the account and risk of the<br \/>\nconstructor Party, the Operator  shall charge it for all the operating and<br \/>\nmaintenance costs of  the additional facilities in accordance with the<br \/>\ngenerally  accepted accounting standards.<\/p>\n<p>CHAPTER V  &#8211;  JOINT ACCOUNT<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 22  &#8211;  HANDLING<\/p>\n<p>22.1          Without prejudice to the provisions of other Clauses of  this<br \/>\ncontract, the expenses incurred for Exploration Work shall  be for the account<br \/>\nand risk of THE ASSOCIATE.<\/p>\n<p>22.2          From the time the parties accept the existence of a  Commercial<br \/>\nField and subject to the provisions of Clause 5  (subsection 5.2) and Clause 13<br \/>\n(subsections 13.1 and 13.2), the  ownership of the rights or Interest in the<br \/>\nOperation of the  Contracted Area shall be divided as follows:  ECOPETROL fifty<br \/>\npercent (50%) and THE ASSOCIATE fifty percent  (50%).  From that  moment on,<br \/>\nall expenses, payments, investments, costs and  obligations made and incurred<br \/>\nfor the development of the  operations, pursuant to this contract, and the<br \/>\ninvestments made  by THE ASSOCIATE before and after the recognition of a<br \/>\nCommercial  Field, in the drilling and termination of the wells which have<br \/>\nproven to be productive within the field, shall be charged to the  Joint<br \/>\nAccount.  Except as provided in Clauses 14 (subsection 14.3) and 21, all<br \/>\nproperties acquired or used thereafter for the  performance of the activities<br \/>\nof the operation of the Commercial  Field shall be paid for and shall belong to<br \/>\nthe Parties, in the same proportion described in this clause.<\/p>\n<p>22.3          In the first five (5) days of each month the Parties shall<br \/>\nsupply to the Operator, at the bank designated by it,  the share  corresponding<br \/>\nto them in the Budget in accordance with the needs  and in the currency in<br \/>\nwhich the expenses are to be made, that  is, in Colombian pesos or in dollars<br \/>\nof the United States of  America, as requested by the Operator in accordance<br \/>\nwith the  programs and Budgets approved by the Executive Committee.  When  THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE does not have the Colombian pesos necessary to  cover the share of<br \/>\nits contribution in this currency, ECOPETROL  shall be entitled to supply said<br \/>\npesos and to receive the credit  for the contributions which it must make in<br \/>\ndollars, converted at  the market representative exchange rate certified by the<br \/>\nSuperintendency of Banks, on the day when ECOPETROL is to make  the pertinent<br \/>\ncontribution, when said transaction is permitted by  the legal provisions.<br \/>\n   17<br \/>\n22.4          The Operator shall present to the parties on a monthly  basis,<br \/>\nand within thirty (30) calendar days following the end of  each month, a<br \/>\nmonthly statement in which it will show the amounts  advanced, the expenditures<br \/>\nmade, the outstanding obligations and  a report on all the charges and credits<br \/>\nmade to the Joint  Account, which report shall be prepared in accordance with<br \/>\nExhibit &#8220;B&#8221;.  If the payments referred to in Clause 22  (subsection 22.3) are<br \/>\nnot made within the stipulated term and the  Operator chooses to cover them,<br \/>\nthe delinquent Party shall pay the  Commercial Interest, in the same currency<br \/>\nin which the payment  has been incurred, during the period of delay.<\/p>\n<p>22.5          If one of the Parties should fail to contribute promptly to  the<br \/>\nJoint Account the sums which correspond to it, as from that  date said party<br \/>\nshall be considered a delinquent Party and the  other Party, as a<br \/>\nnon-delinquent Party.  If the non-delinquent  Party had made the contribution<br \/>\ncorresponding to the delinquent  Party, in addition to its own, said Party<br \/>\nshall have the right,  after sixty (60) days of delay, to receive from the<br \/>\nOperator the  total participation of the delinquent Party, in the Contracted<br \/>\nArea (excluding the percentage corresponding to the royalty), up  to a quantity<br \/>\nof production which permits the non-delinquent  Party a net earning for the<br \/>\nsales made equal to the amount not  paid by the delinquent Party, plus an<br \/>\nannual interest equal to  the Commercial Interest as from the sixtieth (60th)<br \/>\nday following  the date on which the delay begins.  &#8220;Net earning&#8221; is understood<br \/>\nto be the difference between the selling price of the crude taken  by the<br \/>\nnon-delinquent Party, less the cost of transportation,  storage, loading and<br \/>\nother reasonable expenditures made by the  non-breaching Party in the sale of<br \/>\nthe products taken.  The  right of the non-breaching Party may be exercised at<br \/>\nany time  after thirty (30) days of having notified the breaching Party in<br \/>\nwriting of its intention to take part or all of the production  corresponding<br \/>\nto the delinquent Party.<\/p>\n<p>22.6.1        All Direct Expenses of the Joint Operation shall be charged to<br \/>\nthe Parties in the same proportion in which the production, after payment of<br \/>\nroyalties, is distributed.<\/p>\n<p>22.6.2        The Indirect Expenses shall be charged to the Parties in  the<br \/>\nsame proportion established for the Direct Expenses in  subsection 22.6.1 of<br \/>\nthis clause.  The amount of these expenses  shall be the result of taking the<br \/>\ntotal annual value of the  investments and expenditures  (excluding technical<br \/>\nand  administrative  support)  and  applying  to<br \/>\n it   the   equation  a + m (X-b).  In this equation &#8220;X&#8221; is the total value of<br \/>\nthe  annual investments and expenditures, and &#8220;a&#8221;, &#8220;m&#8221; and &#8220;b&#8221; are  constants<br \/>\nthe values of which are indicated in the following  table in relation to the<br \/>\namount of the annual investments and  expenditures:<\/p>\n<p>   AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS AND VALUES OF THE CONSTANTS EXPENDITURES<\/p>\n<table>\n<caption>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n        &#8220;X&#8221; (US$)                        &#8220;a&#8221; (US$)             m (frac.)             &#8220;b&#8221; (US$)<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n<s>                   <c>                    <c>                 <c>                    <c><br \/>\n          0            25,000,000                     0          0.10                             0<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n 25,000,001            50,000,000             2,500,000          0.08                    25,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n 50,000,001           100,000,000             4,500,000          0.07                    50,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n100,000,001           200,000,000             8,000,000          0.06                   100,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n200,000,001           300,000,000            14,000,000          0.04                   200,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n300,000,001           400,000,000            18,000,000          0.02                   300,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n400,000,001             and above            20,000,000          0.01                   400,000,000<br \/>\n&#8211; &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br \/>\n<\/c><\/c><\/c><\/c><\/s><\/caption>\n<\/table>\n<p>The equation shall be applied only once for each year in each  case with the<br \/>\nvalue of the constants corresponding to the total  value of the annual<br \/>\ninvestments and expenditures.<\/p>\n<p>22.7          The monthly statements of account referred to in Clause 22<br \/>\n(subsection 22.4) may be revised or objected to by either one of  the Parties<br \/>\nas from the time when they are received by them and  up to two (2) years after<br \/>\nthe end of the calendar year to which  they correspond, clearly specifying the<br \/>\nitems corrected or  objected to and the pertinent<br \/>\n   18<br \/>\nreason.  Any account which has not  been corrected or objected to within this<br \/>\nperiod, shall be  considered final and correct.<\/p>\n<p>22.8          The Operator shall keep accounting records, vouchers and  reports<br \/>\nfor the Joint Account in Colombian pesos in accordance  with Colombian laws and<br \/>\nany charge or credit to the Joint Account  shall be made in accordance with the<br \/>\naccounting procedure  established in Exhibit &#8220;B&#8221;, which forms part of this<br \/>\ncontract.   In case of discrepancy between said accounting procedure and the<br \/>\nprovisions of this contract, the terms of the latter shall  prevail.<\/p>\n<p>22.9          The Operator may effect sales of materials or equipment  during<br \/>\nthe first twenty (20) years of the Exploitation Period for  the benefit of the<br \/>\nJoint Account, when the amount of the sale  does not exceed five thousand<br \/>\ndollars of the United States of  America (US$5,000) or its equivalent in<br \/>\nColombian pesos.  This  type of operations, per calendar year, may not exceed<br \/>\nthe amount  of fifty thousand dollars of the United States of America<br \/>\n(US$50,000) or its equivalent in Colombian currency.  The sales  which exceed<br \/>\nthese amounts or those of real-estate properties  must be approved by the<br \/>\nExecutive Committee.  The sale of said  materials or equipment shall be made at<br \/>\na reasonable commercial price in accordance with the conditions for the use of<br \/>\nthe asset.<\/p>\n<p>22.10         All machinery, equipment or other assets or personal  property<br \/>\nacquired by the Operator for the performance of this  contract charged to the<br \/>\nJoint Account, shall belong equally to  the Parties.  However, in the event<br \/>\nthat one of the Parties has  decided to terminate its interest in the contract<br \/>\nbefore the  expiration of the first seventeen (17) years of the Exploitation<br \/>\nPeriod, except as provided under Clause 25, said Party agrees to  sell to the<br \/>\nother, part or all of its Interest in said items at a  reasonable commercial<br \/>\nprice or at their book value, whichever is lower.  In the event that the other<br \/>\nParty does not wish to purchase them within ninety (90) days following the<br \/>\nformal offer of sale, the Party wishing to withdraw shall be entitled to assign<br \/>\nto a third party the Interest corresponding to it in said machinery, equipment<br \/>\nand items.  If THE ASSOCIATE decides to withdraw after seventeen (17) years of<br \/>\nthe Exploitation Period have elapsed, its rights in the Joint Venture shall<br \/>\npass at no cost to ECOPETROL.<\/p>\n<p>CHAPTER VI  &#8211;  DURATION OF THE CONTRACT<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 23  &#8211;  MAXIMUM DURATION<\/p>\n<p>This contract shall have a maximum duration, as from its  Effective Date, of<br \/>\ntwenty-eight (28) years, distributed as follows:  up to six (6) years as an<br \/>\nExploration Period pursuant  to Clause 5 without prejudice to the provisions of<br \/>\nClause 9  (subsection 9.3 and 9.8), and twenty-two (22) years as an<br \/>\nExploitation Period, counted as from the date of termination of  the<br \/>\nExploration Period.  It is understood that in the events  contemplated in this<br \/>\ncontract, in which the Exploration Period is  extended, the total term shall<br \/>\nnot be considered as extended in  any case for more than twenty-eight (28)<br \/>\nyears.<\/p>\n<p>If, once the commerciality of one or more fields has been declared, THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE continues to comply with all exploratory obligations referred to<br \/>\nunder Clause 5, it may simultaneously carry out the exploitation of such fields<br \/>\nbefore the expiration of the Exploration Period defined in Clause 4 (subsection<br \/>\n4.19). Should this be the case, the Exploitation period of 22 years will only<br \/>\nbe counted as from the expiration of the Exploration Period.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 24  &#8211;  TERMINATION<\/p>\n<p>This contract shall terminate in any of the following cases:<\/p>\n<p>24.1          Upon the expiration of the Exploration Period without THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE having discovered a Commercial Field, except as  provided in Clauses<br \/>\n9 (subsections 9.5 and 9.8) and 34.<\/p>\n<p>24.2          When the duration of the contract, as stipulated in Clause  23,<br \/>\nhas elapsed.<\/p>\n<p>24.3          At any time by decision of THE ASSOCIATE, upon compliance  with<br \/>\nits obligations referred to in Clause 5 and the others  contracted pursuant to<br \/>\nthis contract.<br \/>\n   19<br \/>\n24.4          For the special causes referred to in Clause 25.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 25  &#8211;  CAUSES FOR UNILATERAL TERMINATION<\/p>\n<p>25.1          Unilaterally, ECOPETROL may declare this contract  terminated, at<br \/>\nany time before the expiration of the period  stipulated in Clause 23, in the<br \/>\nfollowing cases:<\/p>\n<p>25.1.1        Dissolution of THE ASSOCIATE and its assignees.<\/p>\n<p>25.1.2        If THE ASSOCIATE or its assignees assign this contract, in whole<br \/>\nor in part, without complying with the provisions of  Clause 27.<\/p>\n<p>25.1.3        Due to financial incapacity of THE ASSOCIATE and its  assignees,<br \/>\nwhich is presumed when there is a judicial declaration of bankruptcy or a<br \/>\nmeeting of its creditors is called.<\/p>\n<p>25.1.4        Due to the failure to observe the obligations acquired by THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE under this contract.<\/p>\n<p>At the expiration of each of the periods contemplated for the  performance of<br \/>\nthe exploratory obligations, THE ASSOCIATE shall  submit a written report<br \/>\nevidencing the fulfillment of the  obligations for the respective period.  In<br \/>\nthe event that it has  been unable to fulfill these, the Operator shall have a<br \/>\nperiod of  sixty (60) days to complete them diligently according to good<br \/>\noilfield practices.  If this term were insufficient, the Parties may by mutual<br \/>\nagreement establish an additional term for said  performance.  If at the end of<br \/>\nthis period all the agreed work has still not been carried out, a default shall<br \/>\nbe declared and  ECOPETROL may proceed in accordance with the provisions of<br \/>\nclause  25.3.<\/p>\n<p>25.2          In the event of a unilateral declaration of termination, the<br \/>\nrights of THE ASSOCIATE enunciated in this contract, both in its capacity as<br \/>\ninterested Party and in its capacity as Operator, if at the time of the<br \/>\nunilateral declaration of termination THE  ASSOCIATE is both, shall terminate.<\/p>\n<p>25.3          ECOPETROL may not unilaterally declare this contract  terminated,<br \/>\nunless sixty (60) days have elapsed after its written  notice to THE ASSOCIATE<br \/>\nor its assignees, clearly specifying the  causes invoked  for said declaration<br \/>\nand only if the other Party  has not presented satisfactory explanations to<br \/>\nECOPETROL or if  THE ASSOCIATE has not remedied the fault in the performance of<br \/>\nthe contract, without prejudice to the right of THE ASSOCIATE to  file the<br \/>\nlegal remedies it deems appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 26  &#8211;  OBLIGATIONS IN CASE OF TERMINATION<\/p>\n<p>26.1          Upon termination of the contract in accordance with Clause  24,<br \/>\neither in the Exploration or Exploitation Period, THE  ASSOCIATE shall leave in<br \/>\nproduction those wells which at the time  are productive and shall deliver the<br \/>\nconstructions, pipelines,  transfer lines and other real properties of the<br \/>\nJoint Account  (located in the Contracted Area), all of which shall become free<br \/>\nof charge the property of ECOPETROL, together with the easements and properties<br \/>\nacquired for the benefit of the contract, even if the former or the latter are<br \/>\nfound outside the Contracted Area.<\/p>\n<p>26.2          If this contract is terminated for any reason after the  first<br \/>\nseventeen years of the Exploitation Period, all the  Interest of THE ASSOCIATE<br \/>\nin the machinery, equipment and other assets or personal property used or<br \/>\nacquired by THE ASSOCIATE or by the Operator for the performance of this<br \/>\ncontract, shall pass, free of charge, to ECOPETROL.<\/p>\n<p>26.3          If this contract is terminated before the seventeen (17)  years<br \/>\nof the Exploitation Period elapse, the provisions of Clause  22 (subsection<br \/>\n22.10) shall apply.<\/p>\n<p>26.4          In the event that this contract terminates upon a  unilateral<br \/>\ndeclaration of termination, issued at any time, all  real and personal<br \/>\nproperties acquired for the exclusive benefit of the Joint Account shall pass<br \/>\nfree of charge to ECOPETROL.<br \/>\n   20<br \/>\n26.5          At the termination of this contract for any reason and at  any<br \/>\ntime, the Parties shall be obligated to perform  satisfactorily their legal<br \/>\nobligations to each other and to third  parties as well as those acquired under<br \/>\nthis contract.<\/p>\n<p>CHAPTER VII  &#8211;  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 27  &#8211;  ASSIGNMENT RIGHTS.<\/p>\n<p>27.1          THE ASSOCIATE shall be entitled to assign or transfer, in  whole<br \/>\nor in part, its interest, rights and obligations under the  association<br \/>\ncontract to another person, company or group, with  the prior approval of the<br \/>\nMinistry of Mines and Energy, and of  the President of Empresa Colombiana de<br \/>\nPetroleos, ECOPETROL.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, any project which involves a total or partial  assignment or<br \/>\ntransfer of the interests, rights and obligations  under the contract, must be<br \/>\ninformed to the Ministry of Mines and  Energy and the President of Empresa<br \/>\nColombiana de Petroleos,  ECOPETROL, by means of a certified writing of THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE,  indicating the essential items of the negotiation, such as possible<br \/>\nassignee, amount, interests, rights and obligations to be assigned, scope of<br \/>\nthe operation, etc.  Within thirty (30) business days, the Minister of Mines<br \/>\nand Energy and the President of Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos, ECOPETROL,<br \/>\nshall exercise their discretionary power to analyze the qualifications of the<br \/>\npotential assignees, after which they shall adopt their determination, without<br \/>\nbeing obligated to give reasons for it.  In any event, the determination of the<br \/>\nMinister of Mines and Energy shall prevail.<\/p>\n<p>27.2          If more than thirty (30) business days counted from the  date of<br \/>\nreceipt of the application by the Ministry of Mines and  Energy elapse without<br \/>\nTHE ASSOCIATE having received a reply, it shall be understood for all purposes<br \/>\nthat the application has  been approved.<\/p>\n<p>27.3          The assignments made during the Exploration Period between<br \/>\ncompanies legally established in Colombia, will not be subject to  the<br \/>\nprocedure described above and will be formalized through the  written<br \/>\nauthorization of Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos, ECOPETROL, and the execution<br \/>\nof the pertinent document.<\/p>\n<p>27.4          Any changes or modifications in the contractual relations  of THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE with Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos, ECOPETROL,  as a result of<br \/>\ntotal or partial direct negotiations in respect of  interests, quotas or shares<br \/>\nin THE ASSOCIATE, shall also be  subject to the approval procedure by the<br \/>\nMinister of Mines and  Energy and the President of Empresa Colombiana de<br \/>\nPetroleos,  ECOPETROL.<\/p>\n<p>27.5          Nevertheless, said changes or modifications will not  require the<br \/>\nauthorization of the Minister of Mines and Energy and  Empresa Colombiana de<br \/>\nPetroleos in the following cases:<\/p>\n<p>27.5.1        When the transactions are carried out at a stock exchange  or<br \/>\nopen securities market.<\/p>\n<p>27.5.2        In the case of assignments or transfers resulting from  events<br \/>\nbeyond the control of THE ASSOCIATE or the companies which  control or direct<br \/>\nit, such as government decisions, legal  judgments, partition and adjudication<br \/>\nof assets and auctions.<\/p>\n<p>27.5.3        When the negotiations are carried out among the companies  which<br \/>\ncontrol or direct THE ASSOCIATE, or their affiliates or  subsidiaries, or among<br \/>\ncompanies which form a single economic  group, in which cases it shall suffice<br \/>\nto inform the Minister of  Mines and Energy and Empresa Colombiana de<br \/>\nPetroleos, ECOPETROL,  promptly of the assignment or transfer.<\/p>\n<p>27.6          Except in the cases listed above, the carrying out of any  of the<br \/>\nassignments, transfers, negotiations, transactions or  operations referred to<br \/>\nin this clause, without the prior OK or  approval of the Minister of Mines and<br \/>\nEnergy and the President of  Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos, ECOPETROL, when<br \/>\nnecessary, shall  result in the application of the provisions of Clause 25 of<br \/>\nthe  association contract.<br \/>\n   21<br \/>\n27.7          The operations carried out pursuant to this clause and  which<br \/>\nunder Colombian tax legislation are subject to tax, shall  pay the pertinent<br \/>\ntaxes.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 28  &#8211;  DISAGREEMENTS<\/p>\n<p>Whenever there is a discrepancy or contradiction in the  interpretation of the<br \/>\nclauses of this contract in relation to those contained in Exhibit &#8220;B&#8221; entitled<br \/>\n&#8220;Operating Agreement&#8221;,  the stipulations of the former shall prevail.<\/p>\n<p>28.2          Any disagreements which arise between the Parties regarding<br \/>\nmatters of law related to the interpretation and performance of  the contract<br \/>\nand which cannot be settled amicably, are subject to  the cognizance and<br \/>\ndecision of the jurisdictional branch of the Colombian government.<\/p>\n<p>28.3          Any difference in fact or of a technical nature which may  arise<br \/>\nbetween the Parties in relation to the interpretation or  application of this<br \/>\ncontract and which cannot be settled amicably, shall be submitted to the final<br \/>\ndecision of experts  appointed as follows:  one by each Party and, the third<br \/>\none, by  mutual agreement between the principal experts appointed.  If  these<br \/>\ncannot agree on the designation of the third expert, the  latter shall be<br \/>\nappointed at the request of either one of the  Parties, by the Board of<br \/>\nDirectors of the Colombian Society of  Engineers &#8220;SCI&#8221;, which has its<br \/>\nheadquarters in Santa Fe de  Bogota.<\/p>\n<p>28.4          Any difference of an accounting nature which may arise  between<br \/>\nthe Parties in relation to the interpretation and  performance of the contract<br \/>\nand which cannot be settled amicably,  shall be submitted to the decision of<br \/>\nexperts, who must be  licensed public accountants appointed as follows:  one<br \/>\nfor each  Party and, a third one, by the two principal experts and, in the<br \/>\nabsence of an agreement between them and at the request of either  one of the<br \/>\nParties, said third party shall be appointed by the  Central Board of<br \/>\nAccountants of Bogota.<\/p>\n<p>28.5          Both Parties declare that the decision of the experts shall  have<br \/>\nthe full effect of a settlement between them and, therefore,  said decision<br \/>\nshall be final.<\/p>\n<p>28.6          In the event of a disagreement between the Parties  regarding the<br \/>\ntechnical, accounting or legal nature of the  controversy, this shall be<br \/>\nconsidered legal and Clause 28  (subsection 28.2), shall be applied.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 29 &#8211; LEGAL REPRESENTATION<\/p>\n<p>Without prejudice to the rights which THE ASSOCIATE may have as a  result of<br \/>\nlegal provisions or of the clauses of this contract,  ECOPETROL shall represent<br \/>\nthe Parties before the Colombian  authorities as regards the exploitation of<br \/>\nthe Contracted Area  whenever it must do so, and shall supply the officials and<br \/>\ngovernment entities with all the data and reports which may be  legally<br \/>\nrequired.  The Operator shall be obliged to prepare and  supply to ECOPETROL<br \/>\nthe pertinent reports. The expenses incurred  by ECOPETROL in attending to any<br \/>\nmatter referred to in this  clause, shall be charged to the Joint Account and<br \/>\nwhen such  expenses exceed two thousand five hundred dollars of the United<br \/>\nStates of America (US$2,500) or its equivalent in Colombian  currency, the<br \/>\nprior approval of the Operator shall be necessary. The Parties declare, as<br \/>\nregards any relationship with third  parties, that neither the provisions of<br \/>\nthis clause nor those of  any other clause of the contract, imply the granting<br \/>\nof a general power-of-attorney or that the Parties have constituted a civil or<br \/>\ncommercial partnership or any other relationship under which either one of the<br \/>\nParties can be considered jointly and severally  responsible for the acts and<br \/>\nfailures to act of the other Party or as having the authority or mandate to<br \/>\nbind the other Party as regards any obligation. This contract relates to the<br \/>\noperations within the territory of the Republic of Colombia and although<br \/>\nECOPETROL is an industrial and commercial enterprise belonging to the Colombian<br \/>\ngovernment, the Parties are in agreement that THE ASSOCIATE, if such were the<br \/>\ncase, may elect to be excluded from the application of all the provisions of<br \/>\nsubchapter K entitled  PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS of the Internal Revenue Code<br \/>\nof the  United States of America.  THE ASSOCIATE shall make such election  in<br \/>\nits name in the appropriate manner.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 30  &#8211;  RESPONSIBILITIES<br \/>\n   22<br \/>\n30.1          The Operator shall conduct the operations which are the  subject<br \/>\nmatter of this contract in an efficient and adequate  manner and in accordance<br \/>\nwith the practices of the oil industry  internationally recognized for this<br \/>\ntype of operations, it being  understood that it shall at no time be<br \/>\nresponsible for errors of  judgment, or for losses or damages which are not the<br \/>\nresult of the Operator&#8217;s gross negligence.<\/p>\n<p>30.2          The responsibilities contracted by ECOPETROL and THE  ASSOCIATE<br \/>\nin relation to this contract with respect to third  parties shall not be joint<br \/>\nand several and, therefore, each Party  shall be separately responsible for its<br \/>\nparticipation in the  expenses, investments and obligations resulting<br \/>\ntherefrom.<\/p>\n<p>30.3          From the value of the expenses incurred and the contracts<br \/>\nentered into by the Operator in amounts exceeding forty thousand  dollars of<br \/>\nthe United States of America (US$40,000) or its  equivalent in Colombian pesos<br \/>\nwithout having been promptly  authorized by the Executive Committee, except in<br \/>\nthe cases  contemplated by Clause 11 (subsection 11.7), the only one<br \/>\nresponsible before third parties shall be the Operator, which  shall therefore<br \/>\nassume the corresponding value in full.  When the  pertinent expense is<br \/>\naccepted by the Executive Committee, the  cost of the work, study or purchase<br \/>\nwill be recognized to the  Operator, in accordance with guidelines that will be<br \/>\ndefined by the Executive Committee.  In the event that the expense or asset  is<br \/>\nnot accepted by the Executive Committee, the Operator, if  possible, may<br \/>\nwithdraw the asset in question, reimbursing the  partners for any cost incurred<br \/>\nby the operation in relation to its withdrawal.  When it is not possible for<br \/>\nthe Operator to withdraw said assets, or he declines to do so, the benefit or<br \/>\nequity increase resulting from these expenses or contracts shall pertain to the<br \/>\nParties in proportion to their Interest in the Operation.<\/p>\n<p>30.4          Ecologic Control.  THE ASSOCIATE, in conducting all the<br \/>\nactivities of the contract, must comply with the provisions of  the National<br \/>\nCode of Renewable Natural Resources and  Environmental Protection  and the<br \/>\nother legal provisions on the  matter.  To such end, THE ASSOCIATE agrees to<br \/>\nexecute a permanent  plan of a preventive nature to guarantee the preservation<br \/>\nand  restoration of the natural resources within the zones in which  the<br \/>\nexploration, exploitation and transportation work which is  the object of this<br \/>\ncontract is carried out.<\/p>\n<p>Said plans and programs shall be communicated by THE ASSOCIATE to  the<br \/>\ncommunities and entities of a national and regional order  related to this<br \/>\nmatter.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, specific contingency plans must be established to  attend to the<br \/>\nemergencies which might arise and the pertinent  remedial actions must be<br \/>\ncarried out.  To such end, THE ASSOCIATE  must coordinate said plans and<br \/>\nactions with the competent  entities.<\/p>\n<p>The respective programs and Budgets must be prepared by THE  ASSOCIATE  in<br \/>\naccordance with the pertinent clauses of this contract.<\/p>\n<p>All the costs incurred shall be assumed by THE ASSOCIATE during  the<br \/>\nExploration Period and by both Parties, charging the Joint  Account, during the<br \/>\nExploitation Period.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 31  &#8211;  TAXES, LEVIES AND OTHERS<\/p>\n<p>The levies and contributions which accrue after the establishment  of the Joint<br \/>\nVenture and before the Parties receive their participation in the proceeds,<br \/>\nwhich are attributable to the exploitation of the Petroleum, shall be charged<br \/>\nto the Joint Account. Income, capital and supplementary taxes shall be for the<br \/>\nexclusive account of each one of the Parties to the extent corresponding to<br \/>\neach one.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 32  &#8211;  PERSONNEL<\/p>\n<p>32.1          After consulting with ECOPETROL, THE ASSOCIATE shall  appoint the<br \/>\nManager of the Operator.<\/p>\n<p>32.2          In accordance with the terms of this contract and subject  to the<br \/>\nregulations established, the Operator shall have autonomy  to designate the<br \/>\npersonnel required for the operations referred  to in this contract, being<br \/>\nentitled to fix its remuneration, functions, categories, number and conditions.<br \/>\nThe Operator shall adequately and diligently train the<br \/>\n   23<br \/>\nColombian personnel required to replace the foreign personnel which the<br \/>\nOperator considers necessary to carry out the operations of this Contract.<\/p>\n<p>In any event, the Operator shall comply with the legal provisions  which<br \/>\nestablish the proportion of national and foreign employees  and workers.<\/p>\n<p>32.3          Technology Transfer &#8211; THE ASSOCIATE agrees to conduct for  its<br \/>\naccount a guided training program for ECOPETROL professionals  in areas related<br \/>\nto the development of the contract.<\/p>\n<p>To comply with this obligation during the Exploration Period, the  guided<br \/>\ntraining may be, among other, in the fields of geology,  geophysics and related<br \/>\nareas, appraisal of reserves and  description of fields, drilling and<br \/>\nproduction.  The guided  training shall be conducted throughout the initial<br \/>\nexploration  period and its extensions, through the integration of<br \/>\nprofessionals designated by ECOPETROL into the work group which  THE ASSOCIATE<br \/>\nshall organize for the Contracted Area or for other  related activities of THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE.<\/p>\n<p>In order to be able to renounce as mentioned in Clause 5 of this  contract, THE<br \/>\nASSOCIATE must have previously complied with the  training programs<br \/>\ncontemplated herein.<\/p>\n<p>In the Exploitation Period, the scope, duration, place,  participants, training<br \/>\nconditions and other aspects, shall  be established by the Executive Committee<br \/>\nof the Association.<\/p>\n<p>All costs of the guided training, with the exception of the labor  costs<br \/>\naccruing in favor of the professionals who receive said  training, shall be<br \/>\nassumed by THE ASSOCIATE in the Exploration  Period and by both parties,<br \/>\ncharging the Joint Account, during  the Exploitation Period.<\/p>\n<p>PARAGRAPH:  In order to comply with the obligations regarding the  Transfer of<br \/>\nTechnology as provided herein, during the first three years of the Exploration<br \/>\nPeriod and for each year, THE ASSOCIATE agrees to carry out guided training<br \/>\nprograms for ECOPETROL&#8217;S professionals, which cost is not to exceed US$30.000<br \/>\nper year. The subject matter of said programs as well as the type of program is<br \/>\nto be agreed by ECOPETROL and THE ASSOCIATE. Should the Exploration Period be<br \/>\nextended, the guided training program will consist of similar programs to the<br \/>\nones performed during the first three years.<\/p>\n<p>32.4          Pursuant to this Contract, during the Exploitation Period  the<br \/>\nOperator shall be entitled to execute any work through contractors, subject to<br \/>\nthe power of the Executive Committee to  approve those contracts in amounts<br \/>\nexceeding forty thousand  dollars of the United States of America (US$40,000)<br \/>\nor its  equivalent in Colombian currency.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 33  &#8211;  INSURANCE<\/p>\n<p>The Operator shall take all the insurance required under Colombian law.<br \/>\nLikewise, it shall require each contractor which performs work related to this<br \/>\ncontract, to obtain and maintain in force the insurance which the Operator<br \/>\nconsiders necessary. Likewise, the Operator shall take the other insurance<br \/>\nwhich the Executive Committee deems appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 34  &#8211;  FORCE MAJEURE OR ACTS OF GOD<\/p>\n<p>The obligations contemplated in this contract shall be suspended  during the<br \/>\ntime that either one of the Parties is unable to  perform them in whole or in<br \/>\npart, due to unforeseen events which  constitute force majeure or acts of God,<br \/>\nsuch as strikes, lockouts, wars, earthquakes, floods or other catastrophes,<br \/>\nlaws or government regulations or decrees which prevent the obtaining  of the<br \/>\nindispensable materials and, in general, any non-financial  reason which<br \/>\nactually prevents the work, even if not listed  above, but which affects the<br \/>\nParties and is beyond their control. If one of the Parties is unable, due to<br \/>\nforce majeure or acts of God, to perform the obligations under this contract,<br \/>\nit shall  notify the other Party immediately, for its consideration,<br \/>\nspecifying the reasons for the impediment.  Under no  circumstances may force<br \/>\nmajeure events or acts of God extend or prolong the total exploration and<br \/>\nexploitation period beyond the twenty-eight calendar years counted as from the<br \/>\nEffective Date as stipulated in Clause 23, but any force majeure impediment<br \/>\nduring<br \/>\n   24<br \/>\nthe six (6) year exploration period indicated in Clause 5, the duration of<br \/>\nwhich is more than thirty (30) consecutive days, shall extend this six (6) year<br \/>\nperiod for the same duration of the impediment.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 35  &#8211;  APPLICATION OF COLOMBIAN LAWS<\/p>\n<p>For all purposes of this contract, the Parties fix as domicile  the city of<br \/>\nSanta Fe de Bogota, Republic of Colombia.  This  contract is governed in all<br \/>\nits parts by Colombian law and THE  ASSOCIATE submits to the jurisdiction of<br \/>\nthe Colombian courts and waives any attempt at a diplomatic claim as regards<br \/>\nits rights and obligations arising from this contract, except in the case of<br \/>\ndenial of justice.  It is understood that there will be no denial of justice<br \/>\nwhen THE ASSOCIATE, in its capacity as Party or Operator, has had access to all<br \/>\nthe recourses and means of action which, under Colombian law, may be used<br \/>\nbefore the jurisdictional branch of the government.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 36  &#8211;  NOTICES<\/p>\n<p>The notices or communications between the Parties in relation to  this contract<br \/>\nwill require for their effectiveness the mention of  the pertinent clauses and<br \/>\nshall be sent to the Parties at the  following addresses:  To ECOPETROL:<br \/>\nCarrera 13 No. 36-24, Santa  Fe de Bogota, Colombia.  To THE ASSOCIATE:<br \/>\nCarrera 6 No. 115-65, Oficina 307, Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia.  Any change of<br \/>\naddress shall be  notified in advance to the other Party.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 37  &#8211;  VALUE INCREASE OF THE PETROLEUM<\/p>\n<p>The payments or reimbursements referred to in Clauses 9  (subsections 9.2 and<br \/>\n9.4) and 22 (subsection 22.5), shall be made  in dollars of the United States<br \/>\nof America, or in Petroleum on  the basis of the prevailing price and the<br \/>\nlimitations established  in Colombian legislation for the sale of the portion<br \/>\npayable in  dollars, of Petroleum or Natural Gas coming from the Contracted<br \/>\nArea and intended for refining in the national territory.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 38  &#8211;  PRICES FOR THE PETROLEUM<\/p>\n<p>38.1          The Petroleum which corresponds to THE ASSOCIATE pursuant  to<br \/>\nthis contract, intended for refining or internal supply, shall  be paid for<br \/>\ndelivered to the refinery where it is to be processed  or to the receiving<br \/>\nstation agreed upon by the Parties, as  follows:<\/p>\n<p>38.1.1        The gas shall be paid for in accordance with Resolution  number<br \/>\n61 of 1983, issued by the Commission of Petroleum and  Natural Gas Prices and<br \/>\nDecree number 196 of January 17, 1986,  issued by the President of the<br \/>\nRepublic, or the government  regulations which substitute it.<\/p>\n<p>38.1.2        The crude oil shall be paid for in accordance with  Resolution<br \/>\nnumber 013 of December 14, 1992, issued by the National Energy Commission or<br \/>\nthe government regulations  which may substitute them.<\/p>\n<p>38.2          The differences which arise from the application of this  clause<br \/>\nshall be settled by the systems established in this contract.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 39 &#8211; DELEGATION AND ADMINISTRATION<\/p>\n<p>The PRESIDENT OF THE EMPRESA COLOMBIANA DE PETROLEOS &#8211; ECOPETROL- delegates to<br \/>\nthe Vicepresident of Associated Operations the administration of this Contract,<br \/>\npursuant to the laws and regulatory provisions of ECOPETROL, with capacity to<br \/>\nexercise all the measures required for the performance of this contract.<\/p>\n<p>CLAUSE 40 &#8211; EFFECTIVENESS<\/p>\n<p>This contract requires for its effectiveness  the approval of the Ministry of<br \/>\nMines and  Energy.<br \/>\n   25<br \/>\nIn witness whereof, this contract is signed in Santa Fe de Bogota,  before<br \/>\nwitnesses, on the eighteenth (18) day of September, nineteen  hundred and<br \/>\nninety-five (1995).<\/p>\n<p>EMPRESA COLOMBIANA DE PETROLEOS              HARKEN DE COLOMBIA, LTD.<br \/>\n           ECOPETROL<\/p>\n<p>(Signed) \/s\/ LUIS BERNARDO FLOREZ ENCISO     (Signed) \/s\/ MIKEL D. FAULKNER<\/p>\n<p>LUIS BERNARDO FLOREZ ENCISO                  MIKEL D. FAULKNER<\/p>\n<p>President                                    President of the Board of Directors<\/p>\n<p>Witnesses<br \/>\n   26<br \/>\n                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.2<\/p>\n<p>                        DEVELOPMENT  FINANCE  AGREEMENT<\/p>\n<p>              ____________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p>                          Harken  Energy  Corporation<\/p>\n<p>                                      and<\/p>\n<p>                             Arbco Associates L.P.,<br \/>\n                         Offense Group Associates L.P.,<br \/>\n                Kayne, Anderson Nontraditional Investments L.P.,<br \/>\n                          Opportunity Associates L.P.<\/p>\n<p>              ____________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p>                                October 12, 1995<br \/>\n   27<br \/>\n                               TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<table>\n<caption>\n                                                                                                                     PAGE<br \/>\n<s>                                                                                                                    <c><br \/>\nARTICLE I  Definitions and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1<\/p>\n<p>         Section 1.1.   Defined Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1<br \/>\n         Section 1.2.   References and Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   4<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE II  Advancement of Capital  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5<\/p>\n<p>         Section 2.1.   Advances  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5<br \/>\n         Section 2.2.   Requests for Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5<br \/>\n         Section 2.3.   Use of Proceeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE III  Rio Negro NPI  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6<\/p>\n<p>         Section 3.1.   Rio Negro NPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6<br \/>\n         Section 3.2.   Establishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6<br \/>\n         Section 3.3.   Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6<br \/>\n         Section 3.4.   Debits  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8<br \/>\n         Section 3.5.   Additional Account Matters  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10<br \/>\n         Section 3.6.   Accounting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10<br \/>\n         Section 3.7.   Payments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11<br \/>\n         Section 3.8.   Overpayments and Underpayments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11<br \/>\n         Section 3.9.   Prudent Operator Standard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12<br \/>\n         Section 3.10.  Sales of Subject Hydrocarbons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12<br \/>\n         Section 3.11.  Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12<br \/>\n         Section 3.12.  Contracts with Affiliates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13<br \/>\n         Section 3.13.  Government Regulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13<br \/>\n         Section 3.14.  Abandonments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13<br \/>\n         Section 3.15.  Pooling and Unitization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  13<br \/>\n         Section 3.16.  Non-consent Operations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14<br \/>\n         Section 3.17.  No Personal Liability; Indemnification  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14<br \/>\n         Section 3.18.  Assignment by Harken Colombia or Owner  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  15<br \/>\n         Section 3.19.  Assignment by Investors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16<br \/>\n         Section 3.20.  Access to Books and Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE IV  Investors Conversion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16<\/p>\n<p>         Section 4.1.   Exercise of Investors&#8217; Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16<br \/>\n         Section 4.2.   Number of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17<br \/>\n         Section 4.3.   Issuance of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17<br \/>\n<\/c><\/s><\/caption>\n<\/table>\n<p>   28<\/p>\n<table>\n<s>                                                                                                                    <c><br \/>\n         Section 4.4.   Reduction of Designated Percentage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE V  Owner Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18<br \/>\n         Section 5.1.   Exercise of Owner&#8217;s Option  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18<br \/>\n         Section 5.2.   Exercise of Investors&#8217; Second Option  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18<br \/>\n         Section 5.3.   Number of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19<br \/>\n         Section 5.4.   Issuance of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20<br \/>\n         Section 5.5.   Reduction of Designated Percentage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20<br \/>\n         Section 5.6.   Investors&#8217; Cash Option  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20<br \/>\n         Section 5.7.   Payment of Cash Option  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE VI  Automatic Conversion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21<\/p>\n<p>         Section 6.1.   Conversion Upon Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21<br \/>\n         Section 6.2.   Notice of Abandonment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21<br \/>\n         Section 6.3.   Number of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21<br \/>\n         Section 6.4.   Issuance of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22<br \/>\n         Section 6.5.   Elimination of Designated Percentage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE VII  Owner Representations, Warranties and Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22<\/p>\n<p>         Section 7.1.   Organization and Corporate Authority  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22<br \/>\n         Section 7.2.   Qualification to do Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22<br \/>\n         Section 7.3.   Charter, Bylaws, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23<br \/>\n         Section 7.4.   Capitalization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23<br \/>\n         Section 7.5.   Finders&#8217; Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23<br \/>\n         Section 7.6.   Authority of Owner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23<br \/>\n         Section 7.7.   Non-Contravention.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24<br \/>\n         Section 7.8.   Governmental Consents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24<br \/>\n         Section 7.9.   Reports and Financial Statements of Owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24<br \/>\n         Section 7.10.  Disclosure  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25<br \/>\n         Section 7.11.  Certificate of Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25<br \/>\n         Section 7.12.  Owner&#8217;s Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25<br \/>\n         Section 7.13.  Association Contract  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25<br \/>\n         Section 7.14.  Ownership of Harken Colombia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26<br \/>\n         Section 7.15.  Absence of Bankruptcy Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26<br \/>\n         Section 7.16.  Offering  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26<br \/>\n         Section 7.17.  No Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26<br \/>\n         Section 7.18.  Litigation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26<br \/>\n         Section 7.19.  Compliance with Laws  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27<br \/>\n         Section 7.20.  Compliance with Environmental Laws  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27<br \/>\n         Section 7.21.  Continuing Representations and Warranties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27<br \/>\n<\/c><\/s><\/table>\n<p>   29<\/p>\n<table>\n<s>                                                                                                                    <c><br \/>\nARTICLE VIII  Investors Representations, Warranties and Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28<\/p>\n<p>         Section 8.1.    Organization and Corporate Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28<br \/>\n         Section 8.2.    Finders&#8217; Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28<br \/>\n         Section 8.3.    Authority of Investor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28<br \/>\n         Section 8.4.    Non-Contravention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   28<br \/>\n         Section 8.5.    Governmental Consents.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.6.    Investment Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.7.    Disclosure of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.8.    Accredited Investors and Experience.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.9.    Restricted Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.10.   Legends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   29<br \/>\n         Section 8.11.   Continuing Representations and Warranties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE IX  Conditions   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30<br \/>\n         Section 9.1.    Investors&#8217; Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   30<br \/>\n         Section 9.2.    Conditions of Owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31<br \/>\n         Section 9.3.    Taking of Necessary Action  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31<br \/>\n         Section 9.4.    Issuance of Preferred Shares  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31<\/p>\n<p>ARTICLE X  Miscellaneous   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31<\/p>\n<p>         Section 10.1.   Indemnification   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31<br \/>\n         Section 10.2.   Public Announcements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32<br \/>\n         Section 10.3.   Brokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32<br \/>\n         Section 10.4.   Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   32<br \/>\n         Section 10.5.   Waivers and Amendments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33<br \/>\n         Section 10.6.   Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33<br \/>\n         Section 10.7.   Binding Effect; No Assignment; No Third Party Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33<br \/>\n         Section 10.8.   Entire Agreement  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33<br \/>\n         Section 10.9.   Severability  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33<br \/>\n         Section 10.10.  United States Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   34<br \/>\n         Section 10.11.  Survival of Representations and Warranties  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   34<br \/>\n         Section 10.12.  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